Dad, Who Are You?
by Selene13
Summary: *Completed* If nobody want to tell Athena who's her father, she has to find out herself. AD/MM R/R please!
1. Goodbye to the wizarding world

Disclaimer: Athena belongs to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Note 1: This idea has been locked in my mind for quite a while. I'm planning to write this after I've done with "What Can I Do To Forget The Love Between Us" but I can't help writing this..  
  
Note 2: Ok, in this chapter, Professor McGonagall is a woman in her early 40s' with black hair.  
  
Chapter 1: Goodbye to the wizarding world  
  
"Minerva, MINERVA!!!"  
  
Professor Minerva McGonagall turned around and saw Madam Hooch, Professor Sprouts, Madam Pomfrey, Professor Snape and Hagrid running towards her on the tiny dark platform at Hogsmeade railroad station.  
  
"Ah, I..think...I got...a...stitch on my...side..." Professor Sprouts gasped, clutching her side.  
  
"Minerva, you can't go." Madam Hooch said after she had caught her breath.  
  
"The Muggle world is not good for you." Snape said breathlessly.  
  
"Stay." Hagrid begged.  
  
Professor McGonagall shook her head with a mixture of stubbornness and sadness. "No, I can't. Athena will die if I stay in the wizarding world." She said and looked at the bundle that she had been carrying all this while. A small baby girl was lying in her arms, playing with a watch with 12 hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. The watch was connected to a long gold chain that the baby had around her neck.  
  
"She won't. Harry Potter will defeat You-Know-Who." Madam Hooch assured.  
  
"And when will that be? 5 years later? 10?." Professor McGonagall asked  
  
Madam Hooch went silent.  
  
"Voldemort (Hooch, Sprouts, Pomfrey and Hagrid shuddered at the name) killed the man I love and I can't let him to get Athena too." Professor McGonagall said through clenched teeth, holding the baby closer to her.  
  
"But...what about Hogwarts? Who is going to take over Professor Dumbledore?" Professor Sprouts asked.  
  
"Professor Flitwick." Professor McGonagall said.  
  
"And..and you, who is going to take over your position as Deputy Headmaster or headmistress?" Madam Hooch asked.  
  
"Professor Sprouts."  
  
"What? Me?!" Professor Sprouts exclaimed.  
  
"Yes, you. You are the oldest apart from me here."  
  
"We can't stop you from leaving, is it?" Madam Pomfrey asked.  
  
Professor McGonagall didn't respond.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes."  
  
"But...." Hagrid started.  
  
Professor McGonagall held up her hand for silence. "I had made my decision ever since I had Athena."  
  
"Will you come back when You-Know-Who is defeated?" Madam Hooch asked.  
  
Professor McGonagall shook her head. "Even if Voldemort is defeated, there will be other dark wizards who will get Athena." She sighed. "She's the daughter of the greatest wizard after all. In the mean time, I can't tell her who is her father. And I can't let her to have his surname."  
  
"Why?" Snape asked.  
  
"I just can't. Her surname alone will catch the dark wizards' attention. Now, I must go, the train is leaving...."  
  
"Could I hold her, Professor?" Hagrid asked suddenly.  
  
All heads turned to look at him.  
  
"I want ter have a las' look at her." Hagrid said, sniffing.  
  
Professor McGonagall smiled a little and handed Athena to Hagrid. As Hagrid cradled Athena in his arms, the other teachers crowded around him to take a look.  
  
Athena stopped playing with the watch and looked up. She saw so many familiar faces and squealed happily.  
  
"Aw, she's so cute." Madam Pomfrey said fondly, sniffed and wiped the tears away from her eyes. "Too bad that her father died before she was born." She whispered.  
  
"I was planning to teach her Quidditch." Madam Hooch said sadly.  
  
"Teachers, I really must be going..." Professor McGonagall started when Madam Hooch, Madam Pomfrey, Professor Sprouts rushed to her and hugged her. Professor McGonagall's eyes started to fill with tears. Hagrid started sobbing and even Snape was blinking furiously.  
  
"It's all You-Know-Who's fault!" Hagrid howled. "If it's wasn' fer him, Dumbledore'll be still alive and yer don' have ter go ter live among Muggles..."  
  
"When will we be seeing you again?" Madam Hooch asked after they had let go of Professor McGonagall.  
  
"When Athena knows how to protect herself." Professor McGonagall said, wiping her tears away.  
  
"Friends forever." Madam Pomfrey, Madam Hooch and Professor Sprouts said.  
  
"Friends forever." Professor McGonagall said, nodding. She turned to Snape. "Goodbye, Severus, hope that you will get the Defence Against the Dark Arts job next year."  
  
Snape shrugged. "I got used to Potions already."  
  
"Hagrid." She said, reaching for Athena.  
  
Hagrid sniffed and handed Athena back to her mother.  
  
Professor McGonagall smiled. "Good luck with your Care For Magical Creatures."  
  
Hagrid nodded vigorously.  
  
"Goodbye." She said as she clambered on to the train and soon the train began to move.  
  
"MINERVA!" She heard Madam Hooch, Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprouts cried.  
  
Professor McGonagall looked out of the window and waved until her colleagues were out of sight. She sat down on her seat wearily. She stared at Hogwarts sadly, knowing that she won't be seeing it for a very, very long time. Her eyes began to fill with eyes and she began to sob. Dumbledore is dead; she had to escape to the Muggle world with Athena, she had to leave her beloved school and friends behind, all because of Voldemort.  
  
What a tragedy her life has turned out to be. 


	2. The Letter

Disclaimer: Athena belongs to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
  
Chapter 2: The Letter  
  
11 years later.  
  
Athena McGonagall opened her eyes and stretched lazily on her bed. She turned and looked at the calendar her bedroom wall, which showed that the summer holidays had started. She smiled and continued lying on her bed, listening to the surroundings. She heard the alarm clock on her desk ticking and the birds chirping outside her window.  
  
She fiddled with her pendant that was connected to her chain and stared at it. She liked to see the planets moving at the edges. She had the pendant ever since she could remember and according to her mother, this pendant used to belong to her father. She had never seen her father before; she didn't even have a picture of him and her mother never mentioned about him. The only thing she knew about her father was that he died of illness, at least that's her mother said one time when she asked how did her father died.  
  
"He..died of illness." Her mother said in a voice mixed with anger and sorrow and she had tears in her eyes. And from that time onwards, Athena wouldn't dare to ask about her father again, she didn't want to upset her mother. But she was still dying to know anything about her father.  
  
Speaking of mother... Athena sat up. She wondered if her mother had awakened yet. She got out of her bed and walked to the full-length mirror near the door. She picked up her brush from her desk and brushed her long and wavy auburn hair. She stared at her reflection. She must have gotten her hair colour from her father because her mother has black hair. She smiled in satisfaction and walked out of her bedroom.  
  
****  
  
"Morning, Mom!"  
  
Professor McGonagall looked up from her newspaper. She didn't change a bit, just that her hair had gone grey a little. She smiled at her daughter. "Morning."  
  
Athena grinned and kissed her mother on her cheek. "Today is the first day of the holidays!" She said happily as she sat down on the dinning table.  
  
"Any plans for today?" Professor McGonagall asked.  
  
"No." Athena said after she had swallowed her spoonful of cereal. "You?"  
  
Professor McGonagall smiled a little and shook her head.  
  
"ATHENA! ATHENA MCGONAGALL!!!" Someone yelled from the outside of the house.  
  
Professor McGonagall started to frown while Athena struck out her tongue. "Oops, sorry Mom."  
  
"Athena, please tell your friend that there're such things as telephone and doorbell and tell him to use them when he want to call you."  
  
"I did but Ares won't listen. He enjoys yelling. And he is not really my friend, just an annoying classmate. Excuse me, Mom." Athena apologized and got up from her seat. She rushed to the front door and opened it.  
  
"Ares! How many times do I have to...." Professor McGonagall heard Athena yelling at Ares at the door. She sighed. If Ares is a Hogwarts student, he will probably ended up in Hufflepuff because he seems to be the type.  
  
****  
  
"Look Ares, what do you want? I am having breakfast right now." Athena asked, putting her hands on her hips.  
  
"Sorry, but I am just wondering that what school will you go after summer?" Ares asked.  
  
"Excuse me, you yelled for me during breakfast just for that?" Athena asked, with her mouth dropped open in disbelief.  
  
"Just tell me and I won't bug you throughout the whole summer." Ares grinned.  
  
Athena thought for a while. Her mother never mentioned her new school after summer. Where will she go? Maybe she will ask her mother later.  
  
"I dunno." She said finally.  
  
"I dunno?!" Ares asked with his eyes widened. "That's an odd name." He grinned.  
  
"Yeah, it is odd, okay? So if you just excuse me, I am going back to breakfast. Good day." She said curtly and closed the door before Ares could say anything. "Whatever I go, I hope that I won't end up in the same school with you." Athena mumbled.  
  
"Mom, which school will I go after summer?" Athena asked as she sat down.  
  
Professor McGonagall looked at her daughter. If she remembers correctly, the letter of Hogwarts will arrived tomorrow and Athena will leave her for Hogwarts. And the dark wizards will be ready for her....  
  
Professor McGonagall smiled sadly at her. "You will know tomorrow."  
  
"Okay." Athena said and continued with her cereal. She looked up again. "Are you okay, Mom?"  
  
"I'm okay."  
  
"Oh." Athena said slowly. Maybe her mother was thinking about her father.  
  
*****  
  
The next morning, when Athena came down for breakfast, she saw her mother standing near the window, looking as if she was waiting for something.  
  
"Mom, what are you doing?"  
  
Professor McGonagall didn't respond. She continued to stare out of the window.  
  
Athena shrugged and went for her breakfast. After she had done, she was surprised to see her mother, who was still standing by the window.  
  
"Mom...." She started but stopped when she saw her mother's eyes widened and took a deep breath. She sighed and said, "Athena, go and get the mail."  
  
"What mail? Today is Sunday." Athena said, thinking her mother had gone mad.  
  
"Go." Her mother said firmly and gave her an "or-else" look.  
  
"All right, all right." Athena said, walking towards the door with her eyes still on her mother. "But I doubt..." She stopped dead on her tracks and her mouth dropped open. Her mother was right, there was a mail. But there were no post on Sundays, where the heck did that letter come from? Athena bent down, picked it up and read the address:  
  
Miss Athena McGonagall  
13 Willow Street  
London  
England  
  
Athena turned the letter over and looked in interest at a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms: a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter 'H'.  
  
"Cute coat of arms..." She said, smiling and her smile faded when she looked up and saw her mother just stood there in the living room with a very pale look on her face.  
  
"Open it." Professor McGonagall urged.  
  
She tore open the envelope and took out the letter. She unfolded it and began to read:  
  
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY  
  
Headmistress: Georgia Sprouts  
  
Dear Miss McGonagall,  
  
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. (Athena raised her eyebrows at this point) Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
  
Term begins on 1 September. And the school train, the Hogwarts Express, will leave for Hogwarts at 11am at Platform 9 ¾ in King's Cross Station. Please be punctual.  
  
Yours sincerely,  
  
Severus Snape  
Deputy Headmaster  
  
P.S: I enclosed your train ticket.  
  
Hogwarts? Owl? Witchcraft? Platform 9 ¾? Athena felt totally confused. What's going on? Then she thought of something. "Oh, I get it! It must be that idiot Ares! He knows that I don't know what school will I be going so he put this letter through the letter box just for a joke!" She laughed and stopped when she saw her mother frowning.  
  
"This is a joke right? I mean, I am interested in magic and all but..."  
  
Professor McGonagall walked to her daughter and put her hands on her shoulders. "Athena, it is the time to tell you the truth. You are a witch." 


	3. Learning About Magic

Disclaimer: Athena belongs to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
  
Chapter 3: Learning About Magic  
  
Athena stared at her mother in shock. A witch? Is she dreaming?  
  
"Come again?"  
  
"You are a witch." Her mother said patiently.  
  
There, her mother said the sentence again. She didn't hear it wrongly.  
  
"I know that it is a real shock to you but it is the truth." Professor McGonagall said gently.  
  
"But...but..." Athena said, as if she had a lot to say but she didn't know where to start.  
  
"But you think that you can't be a witch because you didn't turn Ares into a toad when you want to?" Professor McGonagall asked, smiling.  
  
Athena nodded quickly. "And I can't put a curse on him! In fact, I don't know anything about magic, just a few card tricks that I learned from books..."  
  
"That's why you have to go to Hogwarts. You have to learn about the right spell to turn Ares into something."  
  
Athena's mouth dropped open. A school that taught magic? She could learn them? It's too good to be true! But then again....  
  
"Aren't you going to avoid me or afraid of me, Mom?" Athena asked.  
  
"Why should I? I am a witch too. In fact, I used to be the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts and the Transfiguration teacher." Professor McGonagall said, smiling proudly.  
  
"Trans---what?" Athena asked blankly.  
  
"Transfiguration." Professor McGonagall said slowly to let Athena to memorize the word. "For example." She said and thought for a while. "Let's see if I can remember...." She muttered to herself and transformed into a tabby cat.  
  
"AAARRGGGHHH!!!!!" Athena screamed, dropping the letter and backed away to the front door.  
  
"Sorry, did I scare you?" Professor McGonagall asked after she had changed back to herself.  
  
"You...you.." Athena pointed at her mother with one hand while she had another hand on her chest. She swallowed and took a deep breath. "How did you do that?" She asked in awe.  
  
"I learned it and I am a registered Animagus." Professor McGonagall said proudly but by the blank expression on her daughter's face, she remembered that she had never told Athena about her being an Animagus. In fact, she had never told Athena anything about the wizarding world.  
  
"Mom, why didn't you tell me anything about us being witches before all this? Does Dad know about this?" Athena asked before thinking and said "Oops" when she saw Professor McGonagall's face saddened.  
  
"Your father knows that we are witches." Professor McGonagall said quietly. And before Athena could ask any more questions, she added, "He is not afraid of me because he is a wizard."  
  
"Dad? A wizard?" Athena said excitedly. She knows one more thing about her father now! "Wow." She whispered breathlessly. This is so cool, she is a witch and her parents are magical..  
  
Professor McGonagall's stern words broke her thoughts. "Tomorrow we will go to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies. You better keep your list carefully and don't lose it."  
  
"Where?" Athena asked as she picked up the letter and took out another piece of letter from the envelope.  
  
"Diagon Alley. You will know how to get there tomorrow." Professor McGonagall smiled proudly and at the same time, sadly. "My, your father will be so proud if he sees you getting your letter."  
  
Athena smiled back. She and her mother sat down on the sofa in the living room and she unfolded the letter:  
  
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY  
  
Uniform  
First-year students will require:  
  
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)  
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear ("A pointed hat! I wonder what do I look like with a pointed hat..." Athena asked, trying to picture herself in a pointed hat)  
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) ("Dragon?" Athena asked in disbelief. "You got to believe it." Professor McGonagall said seriously.)  
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)  
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry nametags  
  
Set Books  
All students should have a copy of each of the following:  
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk  
Magical History by Hermione Granger  
Magical Theory by Hermione Granger  
Transfiguration for Beginners by Sirius Black  
Magical Herb by Neville Longbottom  
Magical Potions by Severus Snape ("Snape wrote a book?! Now that's new." Professor McGonagall said in amusement.")  
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2 by Newt Scamander  
Dark Magic and How To Fight Them by Harry Potter  
  
"So, they actually wrote for the school textbooks. That's wonderful." Professor McGonagall smiled.  
  
"You know them?" Athena asked.  
  
"Sure, Hermione, Sirius, Neville and Harry were my students." Professor McGonagall said and sighed. "I wonder how are they now."  
  
Athena continued to read:  
  
Other Equipment  
  
1 wand ("A wand! I can't wait to have one!" Athena exclaimed)  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope ("Telescope?" Athena asked. "For Astronomy." Professor McGonagall explained.)  
1 set brass scales ("Scales? Are we doing science or math in Hogwarts?" Athena asked in disgust. "No, the scales are for Potions." "Potions! Wow, I am beginning to like Hogwarts." Athena grinned.)  
  
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad  
  
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS  
  
"Broomstick? You mean I get to fly on a broomstick?" Athena asked excitedly.  
  
"Only on your flying lessons." Professor McGonagall said. "I wonder how Madeline is now..." She said to herself, thinking about Madam Hooch.  
  
"Flying Lessons?! Oh, I can't wait!" Athena said and sighed happily. "Just think, after a few months, I will be in Hogwarts, learning magic!"  
  
****  
  
At night, while Athena was sleeping peacefully and comfortably in her bed, Professor McGonagall was awake. She stared out at the stars at her bedroom window and sighed. "This is it, Albus. Our daughter is going to Hogwarts." She whispered to the stars. "I don't know whether to be happy or sad or anxious for her. I am glad that she is learning magic like us but I am so afraid that the longer she stays at Hogwarts, the faster the dark wizards will find out who she really is. If the dark wizards find out about you being her father, who knows what will happen to her? And I can't go back to Hogwarts either, if the dark wizards find out that I, your loyal Deputy Headmistress, am back with a strange girl who looks just like me, they will investigate who the girl is and... " At this point, Professor McGonagall started to weep silently. Then she continued, "Albus, if you can hear me, I hope you can watch over Athena. Please don't let anything fatal happen to her..." 


	4. Meeting New People

Disclaimer: Athena and all children during Athena's time belong to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Note: Athena's owl, Bubo, belongs to creators of the movie "Clash of the Titans" (I think)  
  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
  
Chapter 4: Meeting New People  
  
"Hurry up, Mom!" Athena yelled eagerly at the front door in the next morning. She tapped her foot impatiently and stood near the door, ready to run out once her mother had opened it.  
  
"All right, all right." Professor McGonagall said, trying to match her daughter's enthusiasm. She took out the house keys and opened the door. Athena zoomed out of the door like a Bludger. Professor McGonagall smiled and shook her head at Athena's eagerness.  
  
***  
  
"Hi, Mrs. McGonagall and hey Athena, where are you two going?." Ares asked as he bumped into Athena and her mother near a bookshop.  
  
"Ares, I thought you said that you won't bug me for the rest of the summer the day before yesterday?" Athena asked, scowling.  
  
"I can't help bumping into you, can I?" Ares asked back, grinning.  
  
"Wherever we are going is none of your business." Athena snapped.  
  
"Athena." Professor McGonagall said with a warning tone in her voice.  
  
"But Mom!" Athena protested.  
  
"We are going to buy Athena's school supplies." Professor McGonagall said politely, ignoring her daughter.  
  
"Oh, which school is she going?" Ares asked.  
  
"Err..I can't tell you. Sorry." Professor McGonagall smiled.  
  
Ares looked bewildered. "Why?"  
  
"I just can't. Sorry, we have to go. Goodbye." Professor McGonagall said and they bade goodbye to Ares.  
  
"Mom, why don't you tell him that I am going to Hogwarts?" Athena asked when they were away from Ares.  
  
"Sh!" Professor McGonagall said sharply and whispered, "We can't let a Muggle like Ares to know about us. He will tell everyone."  
  
"A what?" Athena asked.  
  
"A Muggle. That's the term for people who are not magical. If the Muggles know about us, they will either burn us or pester us for magic solutions to their problems. Ah, here's the Leaky Cauldron." Professor McGonagall said as they stopped between a big bookshop and a record shop. She opened the door and they went in.  
  
"A pub? Mom, I thought we are going to Diagon Alley." Athena asked in confusion. She looked around at the people talking and laughing at their seats, drinking from their drinks.  
  
Her mother didn't respond.  
  
"Mom?" Athena found out that her mother was gone and she gone pale. Oh no, was her mother going to dump her here?  
  
"Here I am."  
  
Athena looked and stared in awe. Professor McGonagall had came out of the washroom, wearing an emerald cloak and a witch hat. "My, I have not wore this in years. It is so comfortable to wear my old attire again." She smiled and pulled down the brim to hide her face.  
  
Athena just stared. "You look exactly like a witch." She managed to say finally.  
  
"Well, I am one, am I?" Professor McGonagall said proudly.  
  
Athena suddenly felt out of place in her white T-shirt and jeans. She stared at her own clothes uncomfortably.  
  
"Diagon Alley is situated at the outside of this pub." Professor McGonagall said and steered Athena out of the pub and into the walled courtyard.  
  
"Where?" Athena asked, looking at the blank wall.  
  
Professor McGonagall didn't answer. She concentrated on the bricks for a while and took out her wand.  
  
"Mom, is that your wand?" Athena asked, staring at the long stick that her mother was holding.  
  
Professor McGonagall nodded and tapped the wall three times. The bricks wriggled and formed a hole. The hole grew wider and in the end, the wall had an archway that led to a street that twisted and turned.  
  
"This is it, Diagon Alley." She sighed happily. "It didn't change a bit. Come on Athena, stick close to me and don't get lost into this crowd."  
  
Athena held her mother's hand and looked at what the shops were selling: Cauldrons, owls, broomsticks, robes, telescopes, potion ingredients, books....  
  
"Katie, look at this Nimbus 2018. I wonder what it feels like riding this..." A burly man with brown hair to a woman with blond hair as Athena and her mother passed the broomstick shop.  
  
"Let's get a withdrawal first at Gringotts." Professor McGonagall said.  
  
"Where?" Athena asked as she turned her attention away from a shop that sells potion ingredients (Snake Fangs-7 Sickles)  
  
"Gringotts. It's the wizards' bank. Your father and I shared a fortune and I left it in Gringotts. " Professor McGonagall explained.  
  
"What? Aren't you afraid that a bank robber will rob the bank and.." Athena stopped when she saw her mother stifling a laughter under her hat. "What?"  
  
"Athena, Gringotts is the safest place in the world. The robbers must be mad to try to rob Gringotts. Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London. And the dragons are guarding the high-security vaults."  
  
"Dragons?!" Athena exclaimed, her eyes were as round as dinner plates.  
  
"Yes, dragons. Here it is." Professor McGonagall said and stopped at the tall white building.  
  
"Mom, what's that?" Athena asked, indicating the creature standing at the bronze doors.  
  
"A goblin. Gringotts are run by them."  
  
Athena stared at the goblin, which didn't resemble the one that she had seen in her storybooks a bit.  
  
"Athena, it is rude to stare." Professor McGonagall said sternly.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
****  
  
When Athena stepped out of Flourish and Blotts with books in her hands, someone crashed into her, knocking the books out of her hands.  
  
"Oh no!" Athena groaned and bended down to pick up her books.  
  
"Oops! Sorry!" A male voice apologized and a tall boy with blond hair began to help her with her books.  
  
"Why don't you look where you are going, James Wood?" A girl with brown hair, who is as tall as the boy, asked and frowned.  
  
"I was too excited about the new book that I saw on Quidditch, all right?" The boy snapped.  
  
"That's not an excuse!" The girl said and turned to Athena. "Sorry about him. He's so obsessed with Quidditch." She said and rolled her eyes to the clear blue sky.  
  
"So are you, don't pretend that you are not obsessed." The boy said, folding his arms.  
  
The girl ignored him. "I am Elizabeth Wood, he's my twin, James. And you two are?"  
  
Athena smiled. "I am Athena McGonagall and she's my mother." Professor McGonagall smiled under her hat.  
  
"Hi, Mrs. McGonagall. Athena, are you going to Hogwarts too? James and I are on our 2nd year."  
  
Athena nodded excitedly.  
  
"Great! I wish I can talk more, but our parents are waiting for us at the broomstick shop........"  
  
"Mom, yes, Dad, no. He can't bear to leave that broomstick shop." James grinned.  
  
"Then we will find a way to drag him away from that shop. Bye! See you at Platform 9 3/4!" Elizabeth said and the twins went to the broomstick shop.  
  
"Mom, what's Quidditch?" Athena asked.  
  
"It's a sport." Professor McGonagall explained.  
  
"What is it like?"  
  
"I love to explain it to you but I can't remember the rules and regulations now. The last time that I watched a Quidditch match was around 13 years ago. Maybe you should ask Elizabeth or James." She sighed. "How I miss Quidditch..." She looked longingly at the broomstick shop.  
  
"Mom, I still need a wand." Athena said, looking up from her list at her mother and saw her smiling.  
  
"Hm, they are married.." Professor McGonagall said to herself as she looked in interest at the twins talking to the couple whom Athena had heard just now.  
  
"Mom?" Athena asked.  
  
"Yes?" Her mother turned the attention away from the couple and looked at Athena.  
  
"I need a wand." Athena said patiently.  
  
"Here's where you can buy your wand, the Ollivanders." Professor McGonagall said and bought Athena into a narrow and shabby shop.  
  
"Excuse me! Mr. Ollivander?" Her mother called out and an old man came out quickly.  
  
"Ah! A customer!" He said happily and looked at Athena closely with his silvery eyes. "Have I seen you somewhere? You look oddly familiar."  
  
Athena smiled and shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I have been living in London for 11 years and this is the first time that I am here."  
  
"Oh well." Mr. Ollivander shrugged casually. "Which is your wand arm?"  
  
"Wand arm?" Athena asked slowly.  
  
"She's right-handed." Professor McGonagall said and pulled down the brim of her hat further.  
  
Mr. Ollivander took out his tape measure and it measured Athena, who had absolutely no idea what exactly the tape was measuring because it measured every part of her body. When it was done, Mr. Ollivander took out a long green box and gave Athena a wand.  
  
"Try this. It contains a unicorn hair and made of willow. 10 inches. Give it a wave."  
  
Athena waved a little and a few faint stars shot out of it.  
  
"This is no good. Here, try this. Dragon heartstring, holly, 8 ½ inches."  
  
She tried and a small flame of fire pop out of the wand.  
  
"Definitely not. Here, unicorn hair, maple, 11 inches. Good for charm work."  
  
She tried and sent a box zooming through the air and it CRASH knocked over a lamp before it landed on a chair.  
  
"Oops! Sorry!" Athena said as she put the wand down.  
  
"It's all right, when Harry Potter tried his wands, he removed all my boxes and broke my vase with them." Mr. Ollivander smiled kindly. "Ah yes, his wand is holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple. That is quite a unusual combination.."  
  
"Mom, isn't Harry Potter one of your students? Athena whispered.  
  
She received a proud nod.  
  
"...The phoenix gave a feather to his wand and another to his enemy's wand." Mr. Ollivander rattled on. "Yes, Voldemort's wand is 13 ½ inches, Yew and phoenix feather. It's a powerful wand, so powerful that it could even killed the great wizard Albus Dumbledore himself."  
  
Athena felt that her mother's grip on her hand tightened. She looked up slowly and found that Professor McGonagall had a deep frown on her face.  
  
"But it had been destroyed when Voldemort was defeated by Harry Potter." Mr. Ollivander ended.  
  
Athena felt her mother's grip had loosened. "Voldemort? Defeated?" She heard her mother asking breathlessly.  
  
"Yes, a few years after Dumbledore's death. Harry Potter's name is down on the History of Magic."  
  
"Oh thank goodness." Professor McGonagall said in relief and sighed happily.  
  
"It's a blessing that Harry Potter is our ally. Now Voldemort is defeated, we are not afraid to say his name anymore!" Mr. Ollivander said happily.  
  
"Mom, who is Voldemort?" Athena asked.  
  
Professor McGonagall glared at her with a stony look on her face.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You will learn about him in your History of Magic." Professor McGonagall said in such a cold tone that she scared Athena a little.  
  
"Now for your wand, Miss...err."  
  
"McGonagall. Athena McGonagall." Athena introduced herself.  
  
"Miss McGonagall? Ah, there's once a witch named Minerva McGonagall. Her wand is 10 inches long, dragon heartstring with holly. She disappeared a year after Dumbledore's death. Nobody knows where did she go and her friends refused to say anything to the Daily Prophet. Now, your wand. Try this. 9 inches, phoenix feather with cedar. Excellent with Transfiguration."  
  
Athena held it and it gave a scarlet glow.  
  
"Ah! Excellent! This wand is definitely for you. 7 Galleons, please." Mr. Ollivander said as he wrapped up Athena's wand.  
  
***  
  
"Now, you still need an owl." Professor McGonagall said after they had stepped out of Ollivanders.  
  
"Mom, why don't you tell him that you are Min.." Athena started and stopped when she saw Professor McGonagall's dark look. "All right, pretend that I didn't say anything. What do I need an owl for?"  
  
"For posting. Owls are useful for posting mail in the wizarding world. Here we are, Eeylops Owl Emporium."  
  
***  
  
When Athena and her mother stepped into the shop, she saw a round-face man talking to a girl at around her age with red hair about his pet.  
  
"When I was a boy, I had a toad named Trevor and he kept on hopping out of my sight.."  
  
"All right, Athena, which owl do you want?" Professor McGonagall asked gently.  
  
Athena turned her attention away from the man and to the owls. She stared from the snowy owls to the great horned owls to the eagle owls...unable to make up her mind. Then her eyes lies on a small barn owl with pale coloured feathers. "May I have that?" She pointed.  
  
Professor McGonagall looked at the owl, which looked as if she was saying: "Pick me please!!!"  
  
"All right."  
  
Athena clapped in delight and when she got her owl, the owl hooted and flapped its wings happily.  
  
"I think she likes you." The red-hair girl who Athena saw just now observed. "I'm Lethe Longbottom by the way. Are you new to Hogwarts?"  
  
Athena nodded. "I am Athena McGonagall, pleased to meet you. I wish I can shake your hand but my hands are full with the cage."  
  
Lethe laughed. "That's ok. I have to go now; my father is waiting for me outside. See you on Sept 1st." Lethe smiled and left.  
  
"What are you going to name her?" Professor McGonagall asked, smiling as they headed back to Leaky Cauldron.  
  
"Bubo." Athena smiled and the owl hooted as if she liked it. "Guess what, Bubo? We are going to Hogwarts!" she said excitedly to Bubo.  
  
Professor McGonagall smiled sadly and didn't say anything.  
  
"Mom, what's wrong? You have been behaving very strangely today." Athena asked in shock.  
  
Professor McGonagall swallowed. "Nothing." 


	5. The Hogwarts Express

Disclaimer: Athena and all children during Athena's time belong to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Note: Athena's owl, Bubo, belongs to creators of the movie "Clash of the Titans" (I think)  
  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
  
Chapter 5: The Hogwarts Express  
  
Athena stared at her new school trunk and checked over and over again to make sure that she had packed everything: Her cauldron, (don't ask me, I don't know how did she manage to stuff that into her trunk) her school books, her wand, her new uniform, (which she folded carefully and put it on her books) her potions ingredients, her quill, her ink bottle..  
  
Hm... And what else?  
  
She looked around in her room and slapped her forehead. "Athena, you idiot! How can you forget that? Shame on you!" She scolded herself.  
  
She walked across the room and picked up the framed picture of herself and her mother from her desk. She smiled, walked back to her trunk and put the picture neatly on her uniform. She frowned when she tried to close the trunk. "Uh oh." She said softly. "I should have bought the bigger trunk in Diagon Alley." She said to herself as she stared at the bulging trunk.  
  
"Athena, it's time to go!" Her mother called from downstairs.  
  
"Coming!" Athena yelled and stared at her trunk in panic. She suddenly thought of an idea and smiled. She took a seat on top of the trunk, bent down and closed the locks between her legs. There.  
  
***  
  
"Athena McGonagall! Will you please hurry up?" Professor McGonagall yelled impatiently at the door.  
  
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Athena said as she dragged her trunk down the stairs. "Where's Bubo?"  
  
"Here." Professor McGonagall said, holding up the owl cage. "I will hold it."  
  
"Thanks." Athena smiled but then frowned. "Mom, we have been to King's Cross Station for a lot of times but we have never seen a platform that have a number 9 ¾. Where is Platform 9 ¾?" "You will know when we get there."  
  
***  
  
Athena stared at the platform's number at King's Cross Station. Platform 9. She turned her head to the right. Platform 10. Where's Platform 9 ¾?  
  
"Mom, I can't find the platform! What if I miss the train just because I can't find the platform?" Athena asked in panic, tugging her mother's sleeve.  
  
"Athena, Athena, calm down!" Professor McGonagall said, putting the owl cage on Athena's trolley. "You will get the Muggles' attention." She whispered.  
  
"Sorry. But..." Athena started.  
  
"Look. All you have to do is to run straight at the barrier between platforms 9 and 10." Professor McGonagall said and pointed at the barrier.  
  
"What?! No offense, Mom but I think I will suffer a slight injury if I do that." Athena said.  
  
"Don't worry, just go." Professor McGonagall said, steering Athena towards the direction of the barrier.  
  
"But..." Athena started.  
  
"Go." Professor McGonagall said firmly, letting go of Athena.  
  
"All right, here goes..." Athena said slowly, pushing her trolley hard and ran straight to the barrier. She squeezed her eyes shut, getting ready to crash.  
  
CRASH  
  
"OUCH!! Someone yelled.  
  
Athena opened her eyes and found that she had knocked someone over with her trolley. "Oh, I am so sorry!" She said in panic, giving out her hand to help the boy up.  
  
The boy slapped her hand away. "I don't need your help, girl. Why don't you look where you are going?"  
  
Athena looked at the boy carefully. He has short, pale blond hair, icy blue eyes, a pale pointed face, and he was wearing long black robes.  
  
"What are you looking at?" The boy sneered.  
  
Athena shook her head quickly.  
  
"New for Hogwarts huh? I bet that you are a mudblood." The boy said in a nasty tone. "Only mudbloods will act like idiots when they go through the barrier."  
  
Athena opened her mouth to say something when she heard someone saying, "For your information, Malfoy, she is a pureblood."  
  
Athena looked up. "Mom!"  
  
Professor McGonagall, who was wearing her emerald cloak and her witch hat, smiled at her daughter.  
  
"Do I know you?" The boy asked, with forced politeness.  
  
Professor McGonagall stared at the boy sternly. "You don't know me. But I think I know your father. Is his name Draco Malfoy?"  
  
"Yeah..." The boy said slowly. "But how do you know that I am a Malfoy?"  
  
"It is easy. There's no need to ask your name." Professor McGonagall said, looking at the boy from head to toe. "Pale blond hair, pointed pale face and expensive wizard robes. You must be a Malfoy." She observed.  
  
Malfoy raised his eyebrows.  
  
"Now go back to where you come from, boy." Professor McGonagall said, folding her arms.  
  
Malfoy sneered and left.  
  
"Thanks Mom." Athena said, "That boy is worse than Ares."  
  
Professor McGonagall smiled and pulled down the brim of her hat. "Well, the time is 10.57 pm. You have to go."  
  
"Aw Mom, I will miss you." Athena said, hugging her mother.  
  
"I will miss you too." Professor McGonagall said, holding her daughter tightly. Tears came flowing out of her eyes. "If it aren't for the dark wizards, I will go back to the wizarding world with you." She whispered to herself.  
  
"What?" Athena asked.  
  
"Nothing." Professor McGonagall said, letting go of her daughter. She wiped her tears away and sniffed softly. "Write to me after your first day of school. I want to see how is it."  
  
Athena nodded vigorously. "I will." She said, blinking furiously.  
  
"Athena! Athena!" Someone yelled.  
  
Athena turned around and saw Elizabeth waving at her from one of compartments of the train. "Hurry up, the train is leaving!"  
  
"Coming!" Athena yelled and hugged her mother again. "See you in the next summer." She said and got on to the train.  
  
"If you managed to stay alive." Professor McGonagall thought sadly and waved goodbye to her daughter.  
  
Athena waved to her mother sadly until she was out of sight and slumped down on her seat beside Elizabeth and James.  
  
"Come on, it's all right." Elizabeth said, "You will get used to it. I felt the same way last year."  
  
Athena nodded slightly.  
As the train went on its way to Hogwarts, Elizabeth and James tried to cheer Athena up by buying some of everything from the woman on the train and offered them to Athena.  
  
She smiled a little. "Thanks." She looked at the snacks. "I have never seen any of these before."  
  
"You haven't?" Elizabeth asked in shock as she picked up a Chocolate Frog. "Oh, I get it. You are a Muggle-born, am I right?"  
  
Athena shook her head. "My parents are both magical. But I don't know that I am a witch until I got my letter."  
  
"Why?" James asked.  
  
"James, don't be such a busybody." Elizabeth said sternly.  
  
"Hey, have some respect will you? I am the older one." James scolded as he picked up another Chocolate Frog.  
  
"It's all right that James asks me that question." Athena smiled.  
  
"See? She doesn't mind." James said, sticking his tongue at Elizabeth.  
  
"My mother never tells me that I am a witch." Athena explained.  
  
"What about your father? Doesn't he tell you anything?" James asked.  
  
"He died before I was born." Athena said quietly.  
  
"Oops." James said softly while Elizabeth said, "You and your big mouth."  
  
"It's all right, I don't mind." Athena said, waving her hand. "At least I know that he is a wizard. And he once owned this pendant." She said, showing her pendant to her friends.  
  
"Cool!" Elizabeth and James said in unison.  
  
"Tell me about your father, what's he like?" Athena asked in interest.  
  
"He is a Quidditch player." Elizabeth said proudly.  
  
"What's Quidditch?" Athena asked.  
  
"Let me explain it to you." James said, with his eyes shone with excitement. He cleared his throat. "Quidditch is easy to understand. Each team has 7 players: 3 Chasers, 2 Beaters, 1 Keeper and a Seeker. There are 3 kinds of balls. Oh no, I can't explain it without drawing it out...wait a minute."  
  
James reached for his trunk and took out an ink bottle, a quill and a small piece of parchment. He put the parchment on his lap and the ink bottle on the space beside his seat. He dripped his quill into his bottle and began to draw 4 balls, 2 bats and a Quidditch pitch. He put back his things when he had done drawing.  
  
"There. Now where was I? Oh yeah, there are 3 kinds of balls. This..." He showed Athena a big shaded ball in his picture. "..is called the Quaffle. Now the Chasers handle the Quaffle, and try to put it through..." He pointed at the hoops, which he had labeled: 50 feet "...these 3 hoops."  
  
"50 feet?!" Athena exclaimed in shock.  
  
"With a broomstick." Elizabeth said.  
  
"That's awesome!" Athena said in awe.  
  
"The Keeper, defense the hoops. With me so far?" James asked.  
  
"I think so. What are those?" Athena asked, pointing at one of the smaller shaded balls.  
  
"Bludgers. Nasty little things. They rocket around trying to knock players off their brooms. The Beaters' job is to protect their team from the Bludgers and try and knock then towards the other team by using these." James explained and pointed at the bats. "The Bludgers are pretty rough, I remember Dad said that he took a Bludger in the head two minutes in during his first game and woke up in the hospital a week later."  
  
Athena's mouth dropped open. "Is he all right now?" She asked in concern.  
  
"He's ok. It's nothing, you can't help getting those kind of injuries from a Quidditch match." Elizabeth said.  
  
"And this." James pointed at the last ball. "Is the Golden Snitch."  
  
"I like this ball." Athena said, looking at the small ball with wings.  
  
"Ah, you like it now, just wait. It's very hard to catch and damn impossible to see." James warned.  
  
"What did you do with it?"  
  
"The Seeker catches it. Before the other team's Seeker. Once a Seeker catches it, the team will gain 150 points. Once the Seeker catches it, the game is over." James explained.  
  
"Wow. So what's your father's position?" Athena asked.  
  
"Keeper. He is one of the players in Puddlemere United. Mom used to be a Chaser in that team too..." James said.  
  
"...Until we were born." Elizabeth ended. She looked at her card from the Chocolate Frog. "Hey I got Harry Potter!" She exclaimed. She gave it to Athena. "Here, you can keep it. I have got 2 of him already."  
  
Athena stared at the picture of a man with green eyes, messy black hair, round glasses and a lightning scar on his forehead. She turned the card and read the description:  
  
Harry Potter (used to known as The Boy Who Lived) is famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Voldemort....  
  
"Hey, I got Dumbledore!" James said, looking at his card. He gave it to Athena too. "I have got 3 of him already."  
  
Athena studied at Dumbledore's picture and frowned.  
  
"What's the matter, you don't like him?" James asked.  
  
"No, just that he....he...looked oddly familiar. There's something special about him, I just don't know what. As if I have known him..." Athena trailed off.  
  
"Maybe you have seen his picture in your History of Magic textbook." Elizabeth said.  
  
Athena's frown deepened. "No, I haven't seen his picture in the textbook." She thought.  
  
***  
  
"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!" A voice shouted from the outside when the train had stopped at a station.  
  
Athena stepped out excitedly in her new robes and waved goodbye to Elizabeth and James. She heard that the first years were going to have a boat ride to the school when they were on the train.  
  
"Athena! Athena! Hi!" A voice called out.  
  
Athena turned. "Hi Lethe!" She shouted.  
  
Lethe joined Athena after pushing her way through the crowd of first-years. "Isn't this exciting? I say, look at that man!"  
  
Lethe and Athena stared at a man who was as big as giant standing in front of them. He had a long shaggy hair and a wild beard and was holding a lamp.  
  
The giant looked down, shone his lamp at them and smiled. "Long time no see, Athena." 


	6. The Sorting

Disclaimer: Athena and all children during Athena's time belong to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Note: Athena's owl, Bubo, belongs to creators of the movie "Clash of the Titans" (I think)  
  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
  
Chapter 6: The Sorting  
  
Athena looked at the giant, confused. "Excuse me but do I know you?" She asked politely.  
  
The giant looked as confused as Athena now. "Who..I got it, yer mom never tells yeh about Hogwarts, right? I understand." He smiled. "The name is Rubeus Hagrid. Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts."  
  
"How do you know that I'm Athena?" Athena asked again.  
  
"Easy, yeh look exactly like your mom. Jus' tha' yeh got your eyes and hair colour from yer dad."  
  
"You know my dad?" Athena asked excitedly. Maybe she could ask something from Hagrid about her father.  
  
Hagrid smiled proudly. "O' course I know, great man, Dum...." He stopped himself quickly and cleared his throat. "Well, there's no time ter waste, follow me." He lifted his lamp higher and led the first-years to the boats.  
  
"Wow!" Athena exclaimed with the rest of students. She stared in awe at the well-lit, vast castle sitting at the other side of the wide lake. "Is that our school? It looks like a palace for the royals." She asked Hagrid.  
  
"Yep, Hogwarts." Hagrid answered.  
  
"I don't believe this. This is like a dream come true." Athena said happily.  
  
***  
  
When Hagrid led the first-years to the castle's front door, the door swung open before he could knock and Athena saw a man with greasy black hair, a hooked nose and sallow skin in black robes standing in front of Hagrid, frowning.  
  
"What took you so long, Hagrid?" The man asked in a chilly tone that made Athena shivered.  
  
"Sorry." Hagrid mumbled.  
  
"You may go now, I will take them from here." The man said and Hagrid left. The man led them across the flagged stone floor and showed them into a small empty chamber.  
  
"Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor Severus Snape, the Deputy Headmaster. Now in a few moments the start-of-term banquet will begin but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. They are," Snape gave a proud smile. "Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and," He sneered, "Gryffindor."  
  
"He doesn't seem to like Gryffindor much." Athena whispered to Lethe.  
  
Snape turned his head sharply to Athena's comments, looked at Athena in a piercing stare and gave a cold smile. "Hello Athena."  
  
Athena's mouth went open. "You know me?" She whispered.  
  
Snape didn't seem to hear her. He turned his attention back to the first- years. "Now when you are here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points and any rule-breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup. The Sorting Ceremony will begin momentarily. Just wait here." He left.  
  
"How does Professor Snape know who I am? I have never seen him before." Athena asked in bewilderment.  
  
***  
  
"We are ready for you now, follow me." Snape said and led them through a pairs of double doors into the Great Hall.  
  
Once they had entered the Great Hall, Athena thought that she was dreaming. The place was splendid. Thousands of candles were floating in mid-air and the Hall didn't even seem to have a ceiling, the stars were clearly visible outside, shining like diamonds. Athena saw James and Elizabeth as they passed the tables and waved.  
  
"Now will you wait along here please?" Snape asked with force politeness as he stopped beside a three-leg stool with a torn, old and dirty witch hat on it.  
  
The first-years crowded in front of him. "Now, before we begin, Professor Sprouts will like to say a few words."  
  
Athena saw a short, plump witch stood up from her seat and smiled. "Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, I want to announce that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. And the whole of the third floor corridor is out of bonds. Thank you." She sat down.  
  
Snape waited until the hat had finished its song and that the applause in the Great Hall had died down and he took out a scroll. "Now when I call your name, you will come forth, I will put the Sorting Hat onto your head, and you will be sorted into your houses."  
  
Snape passed through the names quickly and when he read, "Longbottom, Lethe!" He gave an unpleasant smile to Lethe. Lethe swallowed.  
  
"Stay calm, Lethe." Athena whispered.  
  
The hat took quite a while to sort Lethe and when it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!", Lethe ran off still wearing it and quickly turned back to return it to "Professor Snake".  
  
"Like father, like daughter." Athena heard Snape mumbled.  
  
"Malfoy, Narcissus!" Professor Snape called and Athena saw the nasty, pale looking boy stepped forward.  
  
"SLYTHERIN!" The hat cried in less then a second and Malfoy looked proud as he marched to the Slytherin table.  
  
Snape looked at his scroll and gave a small smile. "McGonagall, Athena!"  
  
When Athena stepped out, she felt that everyone from the teachers' table seem to be staring at her and she noticed that some of the teachers were whispering to each other. She sat down on the stool, and Snape put the hat onto her head.  
  
"Hm, I see plenty of courage, a very good mind and a very, very unusual ability..now where to put you? Hm...well, since your father..."  
  
"Hurry up." Snape growled.  
  
"All right, GRYFFINDOR!" The hat said quickly. Athena smiled; she heard that Gryffindor is the best house and a few famous wizards graduated from that house, such as Harry Potter, Oliver Wood and Katie Bell (James' and Elizabeth's famous parents) and Albus Dumbledore. She could see that James and Elizabeth gave each other a high five and Lethe clapping furiously.  
  
"Very good." Snape said and gave her a small smile. Athena smiled back nervously and went to the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Potter, Eric!" Snape said and a boy with messy brown hair and green eyes stepped out. Snape frowned a little at him and put the hat onto his head.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Athena clapped along with the rest as the boy came to their table. "Hi!" He said friendly. Athena and the others greeted back.  
  
"Are you related to Harry Potter?" Athena asked politely.  
  
"Yeah, he's my dad." Eric grinned proudly and saw Harry gave him a smile from the teachers' table. Athena thought that Harry Potter looked pretty handsome without his glasses on.  
  
"Hey, don't you dare to push Athena around just because your dad is a famous wizard." Elizabeth warned.  
  
"I won't, my mom gave me a warning on that." Eric said.  
  
Snape went on and arrived to 'W'. "Weasley, Damon."  
  
A boy with red hair and freckles came forward and Snape sneered at him.  
  
"That's my cousin." Lethe pointed out.  
  
"Ha! Another Weasley. I know just what to do with you. GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
"What does the hat mean by "another Weasley" ?" Athena asked as she clapped her hands with the rest of the Gryffindors.  
  
Lethe pointed at the 3 pupils behind her. "These are my cousins too. Athena, this is Peter, Frederick and Philip Weasley, guys, this is Athena."  
  
"Hi." The boys greeted cheerfully.  
  
"I got 3 more cousins, but they had already graduated." Lethe said and smiled at Athena's astonishing look.  
  
"That's a big family." Athena said finally.  
  
"Yeah, it is. And pretty interesting too. Uncle Charlie works with dragons in Romania, Uncle Bill works for Gringotts, Uncle Percy works in the Ministry of Magic...." Lethe as she tipped off her fingers.  
  
"Lethe, don't tell Athena about our family. You will bored her to death." Peter said.  
  
"I don't mind, your uncles sounds interesting." Athena smiled.  
  
"See? She doesn't mind." Lethe said. "Anyway, Uncle Fred and George have this joke shop in Hogsmeade. I always go there, they sell all kinds of funny stuff. And finally Uncle Ron, Damon's Dad, works in the Ministry of Magic too with Uncle Percy."  
  
"All right, meal time!" Athena heard Philip yelling. She looked down and saw all the food piled on the golden dishes. She took some sausages while she heard someone screaming from the end of the table.  
  
"What's going on?" She asked in panic.  
  
"Looks like someone has asked Sir Nicholas how can he be nearly headless again." James grinned when he saw what had happened.  
  
The Weasley boys continued to stuff themselves with food as if nothing has happened.  
  
"Who?" Athena asked blankly.  
  
"Sir Nicholas. But sometimes we called him Nearly Headless Nick. He is the ghost of the Gryffindor house." Elizabeth said after she had swallowed her peas.  
  
Athena dropped her fork with a CLANG.  
  
"Ghost?" She whispered.  
  
"Yep." Elizabeth nodded. "In fact, there are quite a lot here. But don't worry, they are harmless and pretty friendly."  
  
"Yeah right." James snorted. "So are Peeves and the Bloody Baron."  
  
"Who are Peeves and Bloody Baron?"  
  
"Peeves is the school poltergeist. He always plays tricks on people. And the Bloody Baron," Elizabeth pointed at a ghost with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face and bloody robes near the Slytherin table. "Is the Slytherin Ghost."  
  
"He doesn't look nice." Athena observed.  
  
"Of course he doesn't. Slytherin is for bad wizards." Elizabeth said and pointed to a fat ghost. "That's the Fat Friar, the Hufflepuff ghost. And that," She pointed at a female ghost. "Is the Grey Lady of Ravenclaw."  
  
"So why is he called Nearly Headless?" Athena asked.  
  
"You don't want to know." Elizabeth shuddered and cleared her throat. "By the way, do you like the enchanted ceiling?"  
  
"What? There's a ceiling up there?" Athena asked as she looked up at the stars.  
  
"Of course, otherwise we will be drenched wet if it rains. The ceiling is bewitched to look like the night sky outside." James said. "Awesome, isn't it?"  
  
Athena nodded. "It's wonderful."  
  
"I wonder why Mom left this place, it's like a dreamland." She said to herself. 


	7. First Day of School

Disclaimer: Athena and all children during Athena's time belong to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Note: Athena's owl, Bubo, belongs to creators of the movie "Clash of the Titans" (I think)  
  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
  
Chapter 7: First day of school  
  
The next morning, Athena had a fine time studying Transfiguration, except that the teacher, Sirius Black, called her "Professor McGonagall" whenever he tried to call her to answer his questions. When he addressed her wrongly for the fifth time, Sirius threw up his hands and asked tiredly, "Why the hell do you have to look like Professor McGonagall so much?!"  
  
"Is it my fault that I look like my mother?" Athena asked Lethe, Eric and Damon exasperatedly.  
  
"No." Three of them replied.  
  
During Potions, Professor Snape began the class by giving a small speech about Potions and that he could teach them how to bewitch the mind, ensnare the senses, bottle frame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death.  
  
"Miss McGonagall, careful with your potion, I don't want your mother to come after me if you hurt yourself." Snape said in a low tone as he walked pass Athena's seat.  
  
"Looks like your mother has a big influence over Hogwarts." Narcissus Malfoy sneered when he heard Snape.  
  
"Ignore him." Lethe said when she saw Athena's deep frown. "That's his nature, his whole family behaves like that. In fact, the Malfoys and the Weasleys hate each other."  
  
In Defense Against the Dark Arts, Harry taught his class on the Three Unforgivable Curses.  
  
"The use of any one of the three Unforgivable Cures on a fellow human being is enough to earn a life sentence in Azkaban, the wizards' prison."  
  
After that, Harry demonstrated the three curses by using 3 cockroaches. First he used the Imperius Curse, then the Cruciatus Curse, then the Killing Curse.  
  
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Harry yelled and the students jumped as a blinding flash of green light shone the entire room. When Athena opened her eyes, she saw that the cockroach is dead.  
  
"Now, the killing curse is the worst curse ever. There's no counter-curse and no way blocking it."  
  
"Sir, is this the curse that Voldemort used on you and your parents?" Malfoy asked.  
  
Harry swallowed and nodded. "Voldemort also used this curse to kill my schoolmate and my favorite Headmaster, Dumbledore." He said flatly.  
  
"Are you nuts? Why the hell do you have to ask that?" Eric hissed angrily.  
  
Malfoy just smirked.  
  
***  
  
After lunch, the first-years were having their first flying lesson. "Great, I can't wait to ride a broomstick!" Athena said excitedly to Lethe when they arrived at a smooth lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the Dark Forest.  
  
They saw 20 school brooms lying neatly on the ground and since there's no teacher around, Eric decided to tell what happened during his father's first flying lesson.  
  
"..So your dad pushed off hard immediately even before the teacher could blew her whistle, Lethe."  
  
"And Madam Hooch had to bring him in the hospital wing in the end. He will not dare to go near a broomstick since." Lethe said.  
  
"Then Malfoy's father went to challenge Dad on the broomstick, I think. I can't remember that part. All I remember is that Dad went flying on his broom and a teacher put him in the Gryffindor Quidditch team immediately. And that time, he is the youngest house player in about a century." Eric said proudly.  
  
"What are you children standing there for?!" A sharp voice barked and Athena and her friends jumped.  
  
Athena turned around and saw a teacher with short grey hair and sharp yellow eyes. She had a no-nonsense-or-you-will-have-detention expression on her face and Athena decided quickly that she better not provoked this teacher.  
  
***  
  
When the lesson was over and Athena was just about to go back to the castle with her friends, Madam Hooch said suddenly, "Miss McGonagall, I want to have a word with you."  
  
Athena turned around slowly and her friends gave her a "What have you done?" look. They waved goodbye to her reluctantly and left.  
  
Athena walked to Madam Hooch slowly and asked, "Yes? I mean, what can I do for you, Madam?" She asked quickly without really looking at Madam Hooch.  
  
"Lifted your head up." Madam Hooch ordered and Athena's head snapped up, looking at her directly.  
  
Madam Hooch leaned forward and stared at Athena closely. Then she cracked a smile. "Sure enough, you looked just like your mother, no wonder Professor Black looked so pale when he first saw you yesterday. He was a little terrified of your mother when he was studying here."  
  
Athena didn't know what to say.  
  
"Of course, I will not blame him, your mother is pretty strict with her students." Madam Hooch said, standing back straight. Then she folded her arms and grinned. "But thanks to me, she always gets to loosen up once and a while. By the way, how's your mother?" She stared at the astonishing look on Athena's face. "What?"  
  
"You....behaved so differently from just now." Athena said.  
  
"What..oh that! Hey I am the flying instructor, of course I have to be strict." Madam Hooch grinned again. "Of course, unlike your mother, I reveal my true self after lessons. So, how is she now?"  
  
"All right." "And sometimes a little sad when I mention Dad." She added before she could stop herself. "Athena, you idiot. Why telling your teacher about that?" She scolded herself.  
  
Madam Hooch sighed sadly. "It have been 11 years and she still can't get over your dead father."  
  
Athena looked at Madam Hooch in surprise. "You know my father too?"  
  
"Uh oh." Madam Hooch thought and asked quickly, "What do you mean by "too" ?"  
  
Athena smiled. "Well, yesterday, a giant named Hagrid said that he knows my father too and that I got my eyes and hair colour from my father."  
  
"Did Hagrid mention your father's name?" Madam Hooch asked, trying to sound as curious as possible.  
  
Athena shook her head. "He stopped halfway due to the short amount of time."  
  
"I don't know your father, just that he died before you were born." Madam Hooch said, mentally told herself to remind Hagrid strictly not to say anything to Athena about Dumbledore. "Err..Athena, have you ever thought of what's your mother like during her school days?"  
  
"Sometimes. Mom never tells me about her schooldays." Athena said.  
  
"Why don't you come to my office tomorrow, I will show you my Hogwarts yearbook. There is tons of interesting stuff in there about your mother." Madam Hooch said.  
  
"Sure! Can I come after lunch?" Athena asked excitedly.  
  
"Of course." Madam Hooch said and unfolded her arms.  
  
"Great! Well, I will see you tomorrow, Madam Hooch."  
  
"Oh please, call me Mandy when nobody is around. Well, my actual name is Madeline, but that's beside the point. Anyway, don't tell anyone that I am behaving like this after lessons." Madam Hooch said as she played around with her whistle.  
  
"All right, see you tomorrow, Mandy." Athena smiled and she made her way back to the castle.  
  
Madam Hooch frowned after her. Maybe she should call Professor Sprouts, Madam Pomfrey, Snape and Hagrid for a short meeting.  
  
***  
  
At night, Athena lay flat on her stomach and began to write her letter to her mother when Lethe came in panic. "Athena, are you all right? What did Madam Hooch say?"  
  
"Nothing." Athena lied.  
  
Lethe narrowed her eyes. "Really?"  
  
"Really. Anyway, what's so bad about her, didn't you say that she brought your dad to the hospital wing during his first flying lesson?"  
  
"Err..." Lethe couldn't think of anything to say.  
  
"Now please don't disturb me, I am writing a letter to my mother." She said and drew her curtains shut. 


	8. The Yearbook

Disclaimer: Athena and all children during Athena's time belong to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Note: Athena's owl, Bubo, belongs to creators of the movie "Clash of the Titans" (I think)  
  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
  
Chapter 8: The Yearbook  
  
"Say, does any of you know where Madam Hooch's office is?" Athena asked the Wood twins the next morning during breakfast.  
  
"On first floor, I think. I only heard Dad talking about it once." James said as he munched on his bacon. "Why? Did you receive a detention from her because you look like your mother?" He teased.  
  
"No." Athena said, smiling.  
  
"Then why are you asking?" Elizabeth asked, taking her goblet for a drink.  
  
"I can't say." Athena said simply.  
  
***  
  
When she arrived at Madam Hooch's office, Athena smiled in amusement at what were hanging on Madam Hooch's door: a pair of small Bludger bats crossing each other.  
  
"How cute." She thought and knocked the door.  
  
"Who is it?" Madam Hooch called from inside.  
  
"It's me, Athena."  
  
"Just a minute." And a minute later, Madam Hooch opened her door, smiling cheerfully. "Hi there, I am just wondering when are you coming. Come in." She stood aside and let Athena in.  
  
The moment Athena stepped in Madam Hooch's office, she felt as if she stepped into a Quidditch supplies shop. Madam Hooch's referee robes were hanging behind the door, posters of various Quidditch teams were pasted on the walls, and the players were seen passing the Quaffle to each other in the posters. Brooms were put neatly in a straight row beside Madam Hooch's desk and there were labels on them: "Tinderblast" "Nimbus" "Shooting Star" "Silver Arrow" "Firebolt" "Comet"..and so on. In the glass cupboard at the other side of Madam Hooch's desk, lay trophies and medals that Madam Hooch had won during Quidditch matches. A model of a small bird with red eyes and small wings sat on a small table beside the cupboard and beside the bird; there was a model of the school Quidditch pitch.  
  
"Here you are, my own Hogwarts yearbook. I made it myself." Madam Hooch said proudly as she handed a red leather-bound book with a golden Hogwarts coat of arms printed on it to Athena and dropped down on her chair.  
  
Athena ran her fingers across the coat of arms and flipped open it. She saw the words "Hogwarts: A History" in bold letters and then "In Mandy Hooch's version" in smaller letters. Then she saw a picture of young Madam Hooch, another girl, Professor Sprouts and a familiar girl drinking in straws from a large glass of Butterbeer below the words.  
  
"Hey, that's Mom!" Athena said excitedly, pointing at the picture.  
  
"Yep, it's your mom all right. Wonder why we are not moving in this picture? That's because the person who took this photo used my Muggle camera. In fact, all the pictures in this yearbook are not magical."  
  
"That's all right, I am used to Muggle unmoving pictures." Athena said and flipped the page. She saw a big picture of the Gryffindor lion and words beneath: "Gryffindor, the best house in Hogwarts."  
  
Then a Slytherin Snake with the words: "Slytherin, the worst house in my opinion. And the Slytherins are all slimeballs."  
  
Then a Ravenclaw eagle with the words: "Ravenclaw, the house with all the boring but smart students."  
  
And finally the Hufflepuff badger with the words: "Hufflepuff, the house with the most loyal students."  
  
She flipped the page and saw the word "Schoolmates" on top of the page. She saw a picture of young Professor Sprouts, her mother, Madam Hooch and the girl with their arms around each other's shoulders and the words: "Hogwarts Angels" on the bottom of the page.  
  
"Hogwarts Angels?" Athena asked, trying not to laugh.  
  
"Yeah, I know it sounds ridiculous, but I didn't think up of that stupid name, Malfoy did." Madam Hooch protested.  
  
"Malfoy?" Athena asked again.  
  
"Aidoneus Malfoy, Narcissus' ancestor. That idiot knew that the four of us likes to be with each other so he thought up of that name for us for fun. And since then, everyone started to call us that." Madam Hooch said, putting her elbows on her desk and rested her chin on her hands. "But the four of us managed to get used to it. And your mom suggested that since Malfoy wanted to play, we would play along with him so we thought up of nicknames for ourselves. I am Quidditch Queen, your mom is Transfiguration Princess, Madam Pomfrey, the girl in the picture, is Gryffindor Angel and Professor Sprouts is Nature's Girl."  
  
Athena flipped a page and saw a picture of her mother thinking deeply with a quill in her hand. She read the words below: "Minerva McGonagall, my best friend, a die-hard Quidditch fan and a very studious and boring star student. But she is quite interesting sometimes."  
  
"That's odd." Athena said slowly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I thought that when a woman is married to a man, she must takes after his surname." Athena said thoughtfully.  
  
"Yeah, so?" Madam Hooch asked, examining her whistle.  
  
"Then why is my surname is McGonagall?" Athena asked and showed the picture to Madam Hooch. "See, my mother's surname is McGonagall, why Mom let me to take her surname instead of Dad's?"  
  
"Maybe she likes her own surname?" Madam Hooch suggested, trying to keep her voice as natural as possible. "Who knows?"  
  
"Mandy, are you and my mother best friends?" Athena asked.  
  
"Of course. I know everything about your mother, even things that Professor Sprouts and Madam Pomfrey don't know." Madam Hooch said proudly and grinned.  
  
"So do you know what's my dad like?" Athena asked excitedly.  
  
"No." Madam Hooch said quickly. "I...err..didn't attend your parents' wedding. So I don't even know what does he look like." She said without meeting Athena's eyes.  
  
Athena narrowed her eyes a little and flipped through the pages. She stared in amazement at a picture of her mother, Madam Pomfrey, Madam Hooch in Quidditch robes. "I don't know Mom used to be a Quidditch player." She said slowly.  
  
"She was, and a good Chaser in my opinion." Madam Hooch said proudly and sighed. "Those are the days. Playing Quidditch, studying for our exams all the way until 1am, chatting during breakfast..." She trailed off.  
  
"Mandy? Do you know why Mom doesn't live in the wizarding world? Why is she living in Muggle London ever since I can remember?"  
  
"I don't know." Madam Hooch lied. "Err...listen Athena, why don't you bring this book back to the common room and read it there? You can return it to me when you are finish with it." Madam Hooch suggested. "I still have a lot of things to do.."  
  
"Sure." Athena said and pick up the book. "Bye Mandy."  
  
"Bye Athena." Madam Hooch waved and when the door closed behind Athena, she sighed in relief. This secret was too difficult to keep. Athena was too curious about her father and sooner or later, either her, Poppy, Sprouts, Snape or Hagrid will spill the beans.  
  
***  
  
Madam Hooch's worries were confirmed when Athena walked pass Hagrid's hut. She stared at the hut. "Maybe Hagrid knows something about Dad." Athena said to herself and walked to the hut. She knocked on the wooden door.  
  
"Who's it?" Hagrid asked from inside.  
  
"It's me, Hagrid, Athena. Do you remember me?" Athena asked, hoping that Hagrid remembers her.  
  
"Back, Fang." Hagrid ordered from inside and opened the door. "'Lo Athena. Come in."  
  
Athena stepped into the hut as Hagrid said: " Make yerself at home. This is Fang, he's harmless." He indicated at the enormous black boarhound, who waved his tail happily when Athena scratched his ears. "So, what can I do fer yeh?"  
  
"Hagrid...do you mind if I call you Hagrid?" Athena asked uncertainly.  
  
"No." Hagrid said cheerfully.  
  
"Hagrid, I remember you said that you know my father." Athena started.  
  
Hagrid froze and said slowly, "Yeah..."  
  
"The point is, you, Mandy, I mean, Madam Hooch and the Sorting Hat seems to know him very well. Madam Hooch seems to be keeping something from me about my father. I take my mother's surname instead of my father's. When the Sorting Hat talks about my father, Professor Snape cut it off. Something must be wrong. So do you know who exactly my father is?"  
  
"Yes." Hagrid said. "But I am not saying anything." He added.  
  
"What?! Why?" Athena exclaimed and caught hold of Hagrid's arm.  
  
"I can't." Hagrid said helplessly and trying to concentrate on examining his crossbow. "Why do yeh wan' ter find out 'bout yer father fer?" He asked.  
  
"Hagrid, please! I can't ask my mother, she will be too upset if I just mention about Dad, Madam Hooch probably lied to bail her way out. And I can't ask the Sorting Hat, it is in the Professor Sprouts' office and I don't even know the password!" Athena said desperately, shaking Hagrid's arm.  
  
"I can't!" Hagrid said loudly, "Yeh will die if yeh know who's yer father is!"  
  
Athena stopped shaking Hagrid's arm. "Die?" She whispered, her voice shaking.  
  
"Uh oh. I shouldn' have told you that." Hagrid said slowly. 


	9. Help! I am a monster!

Disclaimer: Athena and all children during Athena's time belong to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Note: Athena's owl, Bubo, belongs to creators of the movie "Clash of the Titans" (I think)  
  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
  
Chapter 9: Help! I am a monster!  
  
"Die? What does Hagrid mean by that?" Elizabeth asked in shock when Athena told her and James later in the common room at night.  
  
"I don't know. He refuses to say anything after that." Athena said softly and stared at her pendant.  
  
"Well, whoever left the pendant must be a very important wizard." James said as he folded his arms. When Athena and Elizabeth stared at him blankly, he clicked his tongue impatiently and said, "I mean, think about it! Harry Potter is a well-known, powerful wizard. Sometimes he is like a prized trophy. Whoever catches him will have his or her name down in the History of Magic. So Athena's father is almost the same as Harry Potter. But he's dead, so Athena has almost the same value as her father."  
  
"I think I understand now." Elizabeth said slowly. Actually she didn't understand but she didn't want to admit that.  
  
"Wait, let me put it this way, you mean, whoever catches me will probably kill me because I might raise up to be a very powerful witch and defeat all the dark wizards and witches?" Athena asked.  
  
"Not whoever, dark wizards." James corrected. "You know, like Grindelwald and Voldemort. I mean, if your father is a powerful wizard, the magical blood that is flowing your veins must be pretty supreme. If a dark wizard is formidable enough to catch you or kill you, he can easily move on to kill Harry and his family, then take over the wizarding world."  
  
"Then I can't find out who is really my father?" Athena asked in great disappointment.  
  
Elizabeth and James looked at each other uneasily. Then at Athena with pity. "Well.... I guess it will be all right if you find out and keep it to yourself..." Elizabeth said slowly.  
  
"Great!" Athena said, clapping her hands, then frowned. "But I can't ask my mom, she would have already told me a long ago. Madam Hooch is too stubborn to say anything. Hagrid will not say anything again after what happened today. The Sorting Hat is in Professor Sprouts' office and we need the password. Professor Snape...err..."  
  
No one dared to talk to Professor Snape about this.  
  
"How are we going to find out?" Athena asked, throwing up her hands.  
  
"We?" James asked.  
  
"Of course. 3 heads are better than 1." Athena said seriously.  
  
"I guess you are right." James said then snapped his fingers. "Wait a minute, if your father is a famous wizard, maybe he is listed in the Chocolate Frogs Cards. Wait here, I am going to get them upstairs." James said and rushed upstairs before Athena and Elizabeth could say anything. He came down with a stack of cards and put them on the table. Elizabeth and Athena spread them out and stared at them.  
  
"Dumbledore, Morgana, Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, Merlin, Cliodna, and Harry Potter." Elizabeth read out. "Well, Morgana, Circe, Harry and Cliodna are definitely out."  
  
The trio stared at the remaining cards. "Well, we can't find anything out of these." James said finally and gathered the cards. "Hey Athena, what else do you know about your dad?"  
  
"Let's see...my eyes and hair colour is as same as his. That's what Hagrid said." Athena said then paused. "Wait a minute...Hagrid was just about to say my dad's name but then he stopped."  
  
"What did he say?" Elizabeth asked.  
  
"Great man..Dumb...then he stopped." Athena said slowly then she turned her head sharply to James. "James! Give me the Dumbledore card!" She demanded.  
  
James flipped the cards and handed the card to Athena. She scanned the words carefully.  
  
"You think that Albus Dumbledore is your dad?" Elizabeth asked in amazement.  
  
Athena didn't respond. Then she groaned in disappointment. "The card didn't mention about him marrying someone. Maybe it is not him."  
  
***  
  
A few weeks later, Athena was reading her History of Magic textbook in the courtyard alone in a cool morning when she heard a nasty voice saying, "Hey there, Ateenay."  
  
Athena looked up and saw Narcissus Malfoy with a gang of Slytherins looking at her. All of them had their broomsticks in their hands. "It's Athena. What do you want?" She asked calmly.  
  
"Nothing, just curious about what you are doing." Malfoy grinned.  
  
"Well I can't do anything while you are here so go away." Athena said darkly and bent her head down to read. The pendant caught the sunlight and shone brightly.  
  
Malfoy looked at the pendant with interest, reached out his hand and yanked the pendant away from Athena's neck. "Hey, cool pendant!"  
  
"Hey, give it back! It's mine!" Athena yelled, jumping up from her seat.  
  
"No, I will not." Malfoy said, sticking out his tongue at her. He mounted his broom and zoomed to the sky. "Come and get it!" He yelled and laughed wickedly.  
  
"Hey, look at her, she looks as if she is going to cry." A Slytherin said and laughed along with his friends.  
  
Athena looked at Malfoy angrily and jumped high into the sky, glaring at him. "Give it back, Malfoy!" She demanded.  
  
Malfoy stopped laughing and stared at her with his mouth dropped open. He looked paler then usual, so pale as if he had seen a ghost. "Here! Take it!" He said in panic, tossed the pendant to her and flew down with his broom as fast as lightning.  
  
Wait a minute, flew?  
  
If Malfoy was riding his broom high up in the sky, then how could she be up there too without a broom?  
  
Athena looked down, and saw all the students, who looked like small dolls, looking up at her in astonishment. She heard a noise behind her and she turned her head slowly around. She gasped loudly at what she had seen.  
  
Wings.  
  
Enormous, soft and pure white wings on her back.  
  
***  
  
"Athena, remove the curtains and talk to us." Lethe said, with the Wood twins, the Weasleys, Eric, Madam Pomfrey, Sirius, Madam Hooch, Hagrid and Harry standing anxiously behind her in the Girls' Dormitories.  
  
"No, go away. I am a monster, all of you saw me, I have wings behind my back." Athena said, trying to touch the spot where her wings used to be. Her wings were gone immediately after Athena had landed. She was now lying flat on her bed with the curtains drew shut.  
  
"No, you are not. We don't care if you have wings. You are still our friend." Lethe said.  
  
"And student." Sirius added and the teachers nodded.  
  
Athena didn't respond.  
  
"Err, Athena? There is one teacher who used to teach Defense Against Dark Arts here, he is a werewolf. And you know, everyone is scared of werewolves. But all the students like him. In fact, he is my favorite teacher." Harry said.  
  
"What happen to him now?" Athena asked.  
  
"He..err...resigned." Harry said. "But everyone still likes him, he left because he thought that he might hurt someone." He added quickly.  
  
Athena went quiet again. Then she said, "Mom will probably disown me if she finds out."  
  
"She won't. She is an Animagus herself. Athena, trust me, I know your mother." Madeline said.  
  
Athena still didn't push the curtains aside.  
  
"Oh well, I guess we have to leave her alone for a while. Come on." Poppy said, leading all the people outside.  
  
"Sirius, do you know what's going on?" Harry asked when everyone was outside.  
  
"Simple. She is a natural Animagus. She doesn't need studying or training to be one, her ability just comes with her when she was born. It is highly unnatural and rare. By the way, did anyone of you know about her parents? I don't know that Professor McGonagall is married."  
  
"I dunno." Hagrid, Madeline and Poppy lied in unison.  
  
****  
  
Athena waited until everyone was gone and pushed her curtains aside. She sighed. She is now half-human. What's the point living?  
  
****  
  
"That's a strange ability Athena has." James said, lying down on the grass outside the school. "It sure is. And every wizards and witches will envy her ability. Remember what the author of "Quidditch Through the Ages" wrote? He wrote that every wizards and witches likes to fly but they don't like to ride a broomstick and a spell that helps them to hover only a few feet in the air. They want to fly high up like the birds. Although they can transfigure themselves into bats, but having a bat's brain, they are sure to forget where they want to go the moment they take flight." Elizabeth said.  
  
"I prefer a broomstick. I wonder if Athena is all right? She didn't seem happy when she found out that she has wings on her back." James said worriedly.  
  
Elizabeth looked around the place and noticed someone walking towards the cold lake. "Wait, isn't that Athena? What is she doing?"  
  
James sat up and watched Athena, who had a sad look on her face. He saw her staring at the lake for a while and she just plunged into the chilly waters.  
  
"Athena!" James yelled and jumped to his feet. Elizabeth was too shock to move. James ran to the lake as fast as he could. He searched the lake quickly.  
  
No sign of Athena.  
  
"Elizabeth, get Madam Pomfrey!" James yelled, took a deep breath and dived into the lake.  
  
Elizabeth shook her head to clear it and run off. James searched for Athena in the clear water.  
  
Still no sign of her.  
  
But there was something that he didn't want to see.  
  
A Grindylow.  
  
"Uh oh." James thought and began to swim upwards. A Grindylow grabbed his ankle and dragged him down. "Let go of me!" James thought angrily and tried to pull the Grindylow's grip off but without much success.  
  
The creature smiled as it watched James struggled and trying to hold his breath.  
  
"Oh no, I am running out of air." James thought in panic. He shook his head, everything was getting hazy...  
  
****  
  
"JAMES! James, wake up!" A voice yelled.  
  
James opened his eyes slowly and shielded his eyes from the sun. He saw Elizabeth and Madam Pomfrey looking at him anxiously. He was now lying on the grass just beside the lake. He sat up and looked around. "Athena, where's she? Is she all right?" He demanded, grasping Elizabeth's shoulders.  
  
"Err..." Elizabeth started.  
  
"What?! Tell me?!" James said.  
  
"She is all right. In fact, she saved you from the Grindylow." Elizabeth said.  
  
"And? Where is she?" James asked.  
  
"She refuses to come out of the water." Poppy said and pointed at the lake.  
  
James stood up and saw Athena with her upper body out of the water. "Athena, you are all right!" James said happily. "Come out of there."  
  
Athena shook her head with a mixture of stubbornness and sadness. "I am a monster."  
  
"No, you are not. We don't mind about your wings." James argued.  
  
"It's not the wings." Athena said.  
  
"Then what..." James started.  
  
"Do you know why you didn't drown? Why the Grindylow didn't kill you?" Athena asked softly.  
  
James shook his head. "I know that you save me. Now come out of there."  
  
"No, I will not!" Athena said loudly. "Mom will disown me and all the people will freak out!" She said with tears in her eyes and dived into the lake, as she did, a fish tail flipped into the air before disappearing with a little splash. 


	10. The Third Floor Corridor on the Left Han...

Disclaimer: Athena and all children during Athena's time belong to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
  
Chapter 10: The third floor corridor on the left hand side  
  
"PROFESSOR BLACK!" James yelled as he rushed into Sirius' office. "Professor Black, come and see! Athena is a.."  
  
"Mermaid. Yeah, I know. I saw her swimming in the lake while you are unconscious." Sirius said calmly.  
  
"How..who.what.." James sputtered.  
  
"She is a natural Animagus." Sirius explained.  
  
"I know that already," James said impatiently. " I thought that she has wings and that's it. Now she has a tail when she is in the water!"  
  
Sirius shrugged helplessly. "I can't quite explain it either, her ability is highly unusual. I have never seen this kind of ability in my entire life. How's Athena now?"  
  
"Still in the lake, Elizabeth and the others are trying to talk her to come out of the water." James said flatly.  
  
***  
  
"Come on, Athena, we don't care if you are a mermaid or a werewolf or whatever. You are our friend, and that's what we care about." Elizabeth said, squatting with her legs close together at the side of the lake. Eric, Damon and Lethe stood besides her, staring at Athena's golden fish tail.  
  
"Yeah, if we don't care about you, we will not be standing here talking to you." Eric added.  
  
"You may be still my friends but what about Malfoy? And Mom? She will freak out." Athena said softly.  
  
"To the hell with Malfoy. If he teases you, let him. He is just jealous that you have such cool abilities." Damon reassured.  
  
"I'm flattered." Athena said dryly.  
  
"No, I mean it! Every witches and wizards wish that they can fly like you." Damon said.  
  
"In fact, we are pretty envy your abilities." Lethe admitted.  
  
Athena went silent.  
  
"Look, if your mother does disown you, you can stay at Hogwarts during Christmas and come to stay with me during summer. I am sure that Mom and Dad don't mind to have you in the house, you are so...so..." Lethe could not find the right word.  
  
"Gentle?" Eric asked.  
  
"Yeah! And polite." Lethe said happily.  
  
"But I doubt that Athena's mom will disown her." Eric said. "I mean, if she really does, that means that she doesn't love Athena at all. Ah!" He gave a short scream when Damon stomped on his foot. "What did you do that for?"  
  
Damon glared at Eric and his eyes traveled from Eric himself to Athena, who looked as if she was going to cry.  
  
"Oops." Eric said. "Sorry, I inherit this from my Mom. I just say what's in my mind without even bother about other people's feelings."  
  
Athena looked even more upset and she responded by just dived into the lake.  
  
"Is it because of what I said?" Eric and Lethe asked Damon and Elizabeth in unison.  
  
"I don't know." Elizabeth and Damon replied.  
  
"I think we should go, we are making things worse." Damon said in defeat. The rest nodded in agreement.  
  
"I am going to get the teachers, maybe they can get Athena out." Elizabeth said thoughtfully and left with the rest of the Gryffindors.  
  
****  
  
Malfoy looked behind the bushes near the lake at the Gryffindors with interest. So, Athena is now a mermaid too? He smiled evilly. Since she was so powerful, why don't he played a little trick on her by sending her to the third floor corridor on the left hand side? He heard his Father, who used to be a Death-Eater (yes, I think Draco will follow Lucius' footsteps) until Voldemort was defeated, said that Albus Dumbledore's tomb was right here, in Hogwarts. At the third floor corridor on the left hand side. Sending Athena there will be quite an entertainment. Besides, he needs to have his revenge on her for embarrassing him in front of his Slytherin friends that morning. He waited until the Gryffindors left the lake, and took out a parchment, inkbottle, and quill.  
  
He sat down and thought about what to write. "Let's see, I heard that her father died before she was born so she doesn't know what was he like.... of course!"  
  
He wrote on the parchment:  
  
"Athena, want to know or even see your father? Go to the third floor corridor on the left hand side." He paused for a while. "Hmm....something is missing. Ah!" He added:  
  
"But be careful, it is very dangerous."  
  
He grinned proudly. "Maybe I should be a fiction writer." Oh, how mad Athena is going to be when she finds out that it is all his doing!  
  
He stood up and poked his head out of the bushes. Once he was certain that the coast was clear and Athena had her upper body out of the water again, he crumpled the parchment, aimed and threw it to Athena. The parchment hit Athena on the head and she cursed badly. (don't ask me, maybe she learns how to curse from Madam Hooch) She smoothened the parchment on the side of the lake and read. Her face turned from natural to excite then to pale. She swallowed, threw the parchment aside, got herself out of the water, and waited patiently for her tail to turn back into legs. She stood up when the transformation was done, and walked away, marching straight to the castle.  
  
Malfoy grinned. There she goes, to the third floor corridor. Wonder how did she react when she find out that it was just a tomb of a wizard.  
  
What Malfoy didn't realize was that the third floor corridor on the both sides was full of danger and he was sending Athena to her doom.  
  
***  
  
"Athena! It's Mandy! Come out of the cold water, will you?!" Madeline yelled when she arrived with the Wood twins a few minutes after Athena had left.  
  
No response.  
  
"Where is she?" Elizabeth asked to herself.  
  
"Maybe she came out of the water." James suggested.  
  
"Or maybe she is too upset to see us." Madeline said flatly.  
  
"Wait a minute, what is that?" Elizabeth asked, pointing at something floating at the lake. She took out her wand. "Accio!" She said and the thing flew to her hand at once. "It's a parchment." She said and read. Her face went deadly pale.  
  
"What is it? What's on the parchment?" James asked.  
  
Elizabeth didn't respond, she just passed the parchment to Madeline. Madeline read it and shrieked, "OH NO! ANYWHERE BUT THERE! WHO THE HELL WROTE THIS?!"  
  
"What?!" James said anxiously. "Is there something wrong?!"  
  
"Athena... must have gone to the third floor corridor... on the left hand side." Elizabeth whispered with her voice trembled badly.  
  
James began to look as pale as Elizabeth.  
  
Madeline clutched the parchment with one hand and her other hand ruffled her short hair in frustration. "That's it, that's it! I am going to get Poppy, Severus, Georgia and Hagrid!" She said breathlessly and stared at the twins. "You two, get back to your dormitories!" She snapped and run back to the castle.  
  
"Something is terribly wrong around here." Elizabeth said to James.  
  
***  
  
"What?! The third floor corridor on the left hand side?!" Georgia exclaimed in her office.  
  
"Oh my goodness!" Poppy gasped, her hand flew to her mouth.  
  
"Who the hell write the note?" Snape demanded. Madeline passed the parchment to him and he examined it. "Malfoy." He whispered.  
  
"WHAT?!" The rest of the teachers bellowed.  
  
"Malfoy, I recognized his L anywhere." Snape growled. "That student of mine, I don't care if his father Draco is my favorite student or his grandfather Lucius is my best friend, he is sending Athena to her death!"  
  
"Whatever! The important thing is to find Athena! Mandy, send an owl to Minerva! Only she knows how to get past her own passageway and she is Athena's mother after all! The rest come with me! Hagrid, you too! You are the one who know how to get past the dragon! And I need to get Professor Flitwick! Come on!" Georgia ordered and the rest thundered after her out of the office.  
  
***  
  
Professor McGonagall put down her book and sighed. She couldn't concentrate. Something must be wrong, really wrong. She stood up and stared out of the window. She wondered how's Athena. Is she enjoying a Quidditch game right now? Or making a potion in Snape's dungeon? Or doing her homework in the Gryffindor Common Room? She missed her terribly. She wished that an owl would appear right now with Athena's letter.  
  
A tawny owl screeched to get her attention. "My, my prayers are sure loud today." Professor McGonagall smiled and let the owl in. "But why is this owl sending me mails? Where's Bubo?" She took the letter and the owl flew away.  
  
She opened the envelope and read:  
  
Minerva,  
  
Don't bother about how I get hold of your address, just come back to Hogwarts NOW. Athena is missing, she must has gone to the third floor corridor on the left had side. You know, where You-Know-Who(Not Voldemort) fake You-Know-What is. I AM NOT JOKING. I will explain everything when you are here.  
  
Mandy  
  
Professor McGonagall clutched the letter tightly, she felt dizzy and she tried to keep her balance. "Oh no, not there. She will die over there." She whispered with her voice shook. She changed into her witch attire as quick as lightning and apparated to Hogwarts.  
  
Who cares about the dark wizards?! Now her daughter's life is at stake! 


	11. The Norwegian Ridgeback and Grindyweeds

Disclaimer: Athena and all children during Athena's time belong to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Note: I didn't invent the gemstone Draconite, I found out about it in David Colbert's The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter  
  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
  
Chapter 11: The Norwegian Ridgeback and the Grindyweeds  
  
Athena was halfway to the third floor corridor when she remembered that Professor Sprouts warned that the third floor corridor is out of bounds.  
  
"Who cares, maybe there's nothing dangerous in there. Besides, my mother will probably don't care if I die when she finds out that I am a monster." Athena said to herself and turned left to climb the stairs to the third floor corridor. She stared the golden doorknob, reached out and opened it slowly. The door led to a long, dark corridor and she walked down on the corridor, with her shoes clicking against the black marble floor loudly. She reached a cold, stone door with a golden lock as big as her closed fist. She took out her wand, pointed it and said, "Alohomora."  
  
CLICK  
  
The lock became undone and Athena went in. As she did, the door slammed shut and disappeared. She looked and turn ghastly pale at what she was seeing.  
  
A dragon. (Or to Harry Potter's fans, it is actually Norbert. Hagrid got, or put it in a better way, talked, cajoled, pleaded and threatened the Ministry of Magic to bring it back from Romania to guard the third floor corridor on the left hand side)  
  
Norbert has fully grown after 17 years and now it is gigantic, but not as big as its enormous black wings. Its snout is long with wide nostrils and it has solid horns and bulging orange eyes. It glared at Athena menacingly and gave a very loud roar, so loud that Athena could feel that the ground was shaking. Athena looked around frantically and saw an opening behind Norbert. Norbert stomped its feet and paced in front of the opening. Obviously, she had to get past Norbert to get to the other side.  
  
Norbert gave another roar and breathed fire towards Athena; she ducked the long stream of fire and another ball of fire flew, aiming her legs. She jumped and the fire managed to catch the hem of her robes. Her ankles gave way when she landed and fell. She turned around and flapped frantically on her robes, which were burning furiously now to her knee length. By the time she extinguished it, her beautiful smooth hands were now badly burnt.  
  
"Now what?" She thought in panic. She searched her mind quickly and remembered one of Eric's stories about his father: "So, Hagrid said to my parents and Uncle Ron that the trick with any beast is to know how to calm them.." "How am I going to calm a dragon?" Athena thought in frustration because Norbert was now giving her a deadly stare. Athena tried to remember the rest of Eric's story to find an answer to her situation. "Think, Athena, think!" She ordered herself. Eric's voice quickly came back to her mind: "...And then Hagrid said: " Take Fluffy for example, just play a bit of music and he falls straight asleep.".."  
  
Music? Well, it works for a three-headed dog but will it work on a dragon? "Well, it worth a try!" Her mind said quickly. Norbert gave a roar and Athena searched frantically in her robes for a flute or anything that makes music.  
  
Nothing.  
  
She looked at Norbert in panic. Now what? She suddenly remembered one thing: She won a singing contest in her first year in her old school. But that was years ago, she doubt that she could barely sing now. "Whatever, just sing!" Her mind commanded. She opened her mouth and started to sing a soft lullaby. Norbert stopped glaring at her and looked at her curiously. It listened to Athena's singing voice and if Athena wasn't wrong, she thought that she saw Norbert was smiling. "Keep singing." Her mind ordered. Norbert stared at her dreamily and Athena continued her soft, charming singing when Norbert was lying flat on its stomach. It looked sleepy but its orange eyes were still staring at Athena. Athena continued to sing until Norbert opened its wide mouth to yawn, showing its dangerous looking fangs and fork-like tongue. It closed its eyes and fell asleep. As it slept, smoke came out of its nostrils. Athena stopped singing slowly, tiptoed past Norbert, stepping over its huge tail and walked quietly through the opening.  
  
***  
  
When she was through the opening, she had to halt so suddenly that she had to wave her arms frantically to stop herself from falling forward. She was in a big, green room, but not as big as Norbert's room. A pool stretched in front of her and the edges stopped sharply at the four walls. The pool seems to be so deep that Athena wondered if it is bottomless. An opening was at the other end of the pool, a foot above the water. "I think I should fly." Athena thought and she leaped, with her big wings spread behind her. She flew straight to the opening and stopped in shock when she saw cold, hard, pure white bars shot out at the opening, preventing her from going through.  
  
"Draconite?" She whispered. She learned about it in Potions, Draconite is a gemstone that has a pure natural whiteness, found inside a dragon's head. It is so hard that no man can devise to imprint or engrave anything in it.  
  
"Okay, enough Potions, now what?" She thought as she flew back slowly to the other opening. As she did, the bars disappeared. She stared at the pool and sighed. "Looks like I have no choice. I have to swim my way across the room." She said and dived into the water, changing herself immediately into a mermaid.  
  
Suddenly, long, slimy plants shot out from beneath and wrapped themselves around Athena's tail. As they tried to drag her down forcefully, she thought: " Grindyweeds?! Great, now what am I going to do?!" She tried to yank the plants away from her tail but like Grindylows, the plants' grip is incredibly strong. If she's an ordinary person, she will be dead by now. But luckily, she's not because she's a mermaid. She took out her wand and stabbed it at the plants, yelling a spell that couldn't be hear clearly and the plants started to burn, letting Athena's tail go. (I suppose that she said a spell that caused waterproof fire to the plants) She swam upwards and when she turned around, she stared in horror as the plants grew back quickly. She continued to swim until she reached the surface and she saw the opening in front of her. She reached out, put her hands on the ground and pulled herself out of the water. The bars didn't appear this time and when Athena stood up and got herself safely to the other side, the opening disappeared.  
  
Dragon, Grindyweeds, what's next? 


	12. The Flying Flames and the Four Chambers ...

Disclaimer: Athena and all children during Athena's time belong to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Note: I didn't invent the gemstone Draconite, I found out about it in David Colbert's The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter  
  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
  
Chapter 12: The Flying Flames and the Four Chambers of Transfigurations  
  
Athena arrived in a brightly lit room with several torches, its ceiling arching high above her and at the other side of the room was a small glass door.  
  
"This room seems harmless enough." Athena said as she walked across the room and reached her hand for the door. But the moment she touched the glass doorknob, the door vanished and the flames of the torches started to fly towards her like a swarm of angry bees.  
  
"Or maybe not." She said in panic and ran away as fast as she could. Athena soon realized that those are not ordinary flames, not only they fly, they are damn fast, sharp and hard too: Every time when they catch up with her, they shot past her and slashed her smooth skin, leaving long, deep cuts behind and then they would go one round and come back to get her again.  
  
"Maybe it will be a lot more safer for me to fly." Athena thought quickly and jumped to the air, spreading her angel-like wings. The flames won't give up and chased after her as fast as they could go. This time, they slashed her skin AND burned her feathers. As Athena zoomed high up in the air, she saw the door appearing again at the corner of her eye and it was wide open. She dived down, trying to ignore the hot flames, flew through the door and landed hard on the cold marble floor in the next chamber. The door slammed shut and everything was quiet.  
  
Athena turned her body over and groaned in pain as she sat up. She studied and stared in horror at her scalded hands and her heavily wounded skin. "Don't give up yet, Dad is in this place, waiting for you." Athena said to herself and struggled to stand up, despite the painful protests made by her body.  
  
***  
  
When Athena stood up, the room lit up immediately and she stared in awe at the surrounding of the room: On the walls are the ancient cravings and drawings of the life of the people in Ancient Egypt. At the end of the room, there were two stone statues of the Sphinx sitting at the two corners and at the opening that led to the next chamber, stood two Egyptian guards made of stone. Athena felt like she had stepped into a ancient Egyptian tomb. The guards had their sharp spears, which looked so real and new as if they were made yesterday, in their hands. They stared unblinkingly in front of them and Athena thought that both of them wouldn't do any harm as they were made of stone. But she was wrong. As soon as Athena went near the opening, the guards crossed their spears in front of her sharply, daring her to come any further. "There are four chambers in this passageway, so to get past us, you must answer our question. If you answer correctly, we will let you pass. If you are wrong, we will harm you."  
  
"In what way?" Athena asked. To her surprise, one of the guards actually said: "You don't want to know. Anyway, our question changes every time so don't bother to give your friends or family or whatever hints."  
  
"What's the question?" Athena asked.  
  
"What's the animal that our ancient country worship?" The guard asked.  
  
"Easy, everyone knows that the Egyptians worship cats."  
  
The Egyptian guards bow to her and let her pass.  
  
"This is easy." Athena thought and stopped at the next chamber. She admired the Malayan paintings on the walls, which showed the Malays working on the rubber trees and planting their plants in the rice fields. She turned her head and looked seriously at the two Malayan stone guards at the opening, each of them holding a long, sharp dagger. "Ask your question."  
  
"What's the national flower of Muggle Malaysia?"  
  
Athena's mouth dropped open and she went silent for a while, looking at the guards' faces for any hints.  
  
"You don't know? Let me give you a clue. Its common colour is red."  
  
Athena blinked. Red? Roses are red..no, the rose is Britain's national flower.. "Err..is it the Flame of the Forest?" She said nervously.  
  
To her horror, the guards shook their heads and without warning, one of them raised his dagger and slashed Athena's left cheek deeply. His attack was so hard that Athena fell from his blow. Her hand reached up to touch her cheek and when she removed it, she found that her hand was covered with blood.  
  
"Give up?" The guard sneered. "If you retreat, we AND the Egyptian guards will attack you."  
  
"Why are you asking such a stupid question when you know that I have no choice?" Athena asked weakly, not letting the guard to get the best of her. "Of course I will not give up."  
  
"Keep guessing then." The guard ordered.  
  
Athena thought furiously. "What Muggle flower grows in Asia? Orchid? No, that's Singapore national flower. Frangipani? No, it's white with a yellow centre..."  
  
"Hurry up or my partner will give you another cut. You have ten seconds, then we will attack you again." The guard said impatiently. Athena began to wonder whether they are really made of stone, they were too life-like.  
  
"What else? What else?! Wait a minute! I got it! Hi...hi..what's its name?!"  
  
Both of the guards gave her stony stares, which made Athena to urge herself think faster.  
  
"Hi...hi...hibiscus!" Athena said, hoping that she is correct.  
  
The guards stared at her for a moment, sulked and stood aside to her pass.  
  
Athena walked tiredly to the third chamber, straight to the guards, barely took a look at the wall paintings of elegant ladies with their wide-brimmed hats and long dresses.  
  
"Ask away."  
  
"During the Muggle war, World War 2, what's the name of the Prime Minister of Britain?"  
  
"Which period?" Athena asked, trying to stand still, her pain was becoming unbearable.  
  
"Pardon?" The British guard asked with a blank look on his stone face.  
  
"At the very beginning of World War 2, it was Neville Chamberlain, but during the most of World War 2, it was Winston Churchill. So you are asking..."  
  
"I am asking about Winston Churchill, anyway, you are correct." The other British guard smiled and the guards shot their rifles in the air to salute her. They bow and let her to pass.  
  
"Good thing that I listened to Professor Binns about the Muggle war instead of sleeping like the others. All right, Athena, get a hold of yourself, this is the last chamber." Athena said to herself and she stepped into a chamber with four Greek pillars and Ancient Greek paintings on the walls. She looked at the two Greek guards (who are made of white marble) with their helmets, armors and spears seriously.  
  
"Question?" She asked, too weak to ask the same question for the fourth time.  
  
"Who is the patron goddess of the city of Athens?" One of the guards asked.  
  
Athena beamed happily, despite that her cheek hurts like hell. "You are asking the right person, I has the same name as hers so I always check her up in books to see who she is. The goddess is Athena, Goddess of wisdom."  
  
The guard nodded and the other said, "Question 2."  
  
"Wait! I thought there is only 1 question?!" Athena protested in panic.  
  
"You have came so far and here is the last chamber of the Transfigurations passageway. So you must answer 2 questions to get to the Potions passageway." The guard explained impatiently."  
  
"Potions?!" Athena shrieked.  
  
The guard ignored her. "What's the name of the Roman counterpart of the Goddess Athena?"  
  
"Minerva." Athena said quickly. The marble guards bow and let her to go through the opening.  
  
"I wonder if I can make it alive." Athena thought tiredly. 


	13. Potions and the Last Chamber

Disclaimer: Athena and all children during Athena's time belong to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
  
A little note to Aeryn Alexander: Hey, I didn't notice that I connected most of the questions to Dumbledore, McGonagall and Athena until you point it out. I just thought them up during when I was bored at work, : p  
  
Chapter 13: Potions and the Last Chamber  
  
As Athena stepped into the Potions chamber, golden and red flames appeared at the opening that led to the next chamber, burning furiously. She looked around and saw four bottles arranged on a small white marble stand in an odd way: The first bottle at the edge of the table, the second bottle a few centimeters behind the first, the third bottle a few centimeters to the second's left and the last bottle a few centimeters in front of the third bottle. A silver plaque was struck on the stand with the words:  
  
4 bottles, only one can help you through the flames, to the last chamber. The rest are deadly poison. Choose carefully, stranger. The correct potion is the brightest star.  
  
"What does it mean?" Athena asked exasperatedly and tiredly. Of course, no one was there to answer her. She forced her tired mind to think. Brightest star...which bottle is the brightest star? She walked around the stand slowly, looking at the bottles at every angle without touching them. Suddenly, she noticed something familiar about the arrangement, where had she seen it? She thought quickly. Of course! The bottles were arranged to look like the constellation Antlia! Brightest star...brightest star... what's the brightest star of Antlia? Athena trying to remember Professor Sinistra's lesson correctly. Antliae! And Antlia's position is...Athena turned her head slowly to the second bottle. She moved to the bottle and picked it up.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
She examined the small bottle with a silver cork and a colorless liquid closely. Then she opened it, took a deep breath and drank it. She waited for the worst, but still hoped faintly that she got it correct.  
  
Still, nothing happened. Athena turned, and stared at the flames. "Here I come." She walked slowly to the flames, reached out to touch the flames. She felt nothing. She put her whole arm through the flames and the flames didn't burn her. She smiled in delight and walked through the flames.  
  
***  
  
The last chamber was big and bright, there's nothing in there except for a long black coffin made of marble. It has the Hogwarts crest on top and the four houses' symbols on the four sides: The Gryffindor lion, Hufflepuff badger, Ravenclaw eagle and the Slytherin snake. It looked so new as if it was built yesterday.  
  
"Is this Dad's coffin?" Athena asked herself softly. "If so, why are there Hogwarts symbols on it?" Athena wondered aloud and reached out to touch the beautifully embedded Hogwarts crest.  
  
****  
  
"Look, there's blood! This is definitely not good." Professor Snape said, pointing at the bloodstains on the floor. His face went as white as a sheet of Muggle paper.  
  
"If she gets to the last chamber, she will definitely die there!" Professor McGonagall said hysterically.  
  
"Wha's there beside Dumbledore's coffin?" Hagrid asked confusedly.  
  
"Don't you remember?! Dumbledore is...." Madam Hooch yelled and stopped halfway. She dropped her voice into a whisper as they run through Professor McGonagall's passageway. "Dumbledore is buried somewhere else! There is nothing in that coffin. All these are just a scheme to distract the dark wizards away from the real burial ground."  
  
"Nothin'?" Hagrid asked.  
  
"Nothing except for a deadly curse." Madam Pomfrey said quietly.  
  
"Curse?" Hagrid asked again.  
  
"One of the Three Unforgivable Curses and the deadliest one." Professor Sprouts said seriously. ("More blood?! Oh no, this is bad, really bad!" Professor Flitwick said worriedly.)  
  
"Which one?" Hagrid asked slowly but he had the faintest idea which curse was it.  
  
"Avada Kedevra." Madam Hooch whispered with her voice shaking.  
  
***  
  
Once Athena touched the coffin, the lid sprang open and she heard a voice yelling: "AVADA KEDAVRA!" The green light shone and Athena ducked just as the light brushed on top of her. A second later, the coffin slammed shut. Athena coughed, suddenly she felt dizzy and weaker than before. The pain started to spread to the rest of her body rapidly and she felt much more pain than she had in the Transfigurations passageway.  
  
"Athena, ATHENA!" Someone yelled.  
  
Athena stood up and tried to keep her balance. Professor McGonagall dashed in with the rest of the teachers and put her arms around her daughter. "Oh my goodness, you are all right! I am so worried about you!" Athena opened her mouth slightly to speak but then Professor McGonagall said seriously: "I don't care if you are a mermaid or a vampire, no matter what you are, you will still be my daughter."  
  
Athena smiled weakly and hugged her mother.  
  
"Now let's go to the hospital wing and heal your wounds." Madam Pomfrey smiled but her smile faded when Athena said weakly: "Too...late."  
  
"She opened the coffin!" Madam Hooch said in horror.  
  
"Good...bye Mom." Athena whispered and slid out of Professor McGonagall's arms and onto the floor, leaving long bloody stains on her mother's robes.  
  
"ATHENA!" Everyone cried, even Snape.  
  
Athena didn't respond. She split blood from her mouth and closed her eyes. 


	14. Reunion

Disclaimer: Athena and all children during Athena's time belong to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
  
Chapter 14: Reunion  
  
Athena opened her eyes and sat up. She looked around and found that she was not in the chamber anymore but at a strange white place with white clouds. "Is this heaven?" Athena thought and studied herself, her injuries were gone and her skin looked as beautiful as before.  
  
"Hello Athena." A voice greeted and Athena turned around.  
  
"Dumbledore?" She asked in amazement. "So this is heaven." She said unhappily, lowering her head. "It's too bad, I still have a lot of things to do in earth. Watching Quidditch with Mom, going to Hogsmeade with Lethe, Elizabeth, James and the others, listening to Eric about his father, playing with Mandy...." She stopped and let her tears flow.  
  
"There, there." Dumbledore said quietly and pat Athena's shoulder gently. "This is only your dream, Athena. You are still alive."  
  
"I am?" Athena asked in disbelief.  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "But I..." He grinned. "Am still as dead as before."  
  
"How do you know who I am?" Athena asked again in bewilderment.  
  
Dumbledore just smiled warmly. "Do you know who exactly I am? Beside being the greatest wizard of modern times?"  
  
Athena lifted up her head and stared into Dumbledore's blue eyes, which are as same as hers. "Dad?" She asked breathlessly.  
  
Dumbledore smiled and nodded slightly.  
  
Tears began to fill Athena's eyes again as she flung her arms around her father. Dumbledore smiled again softly and stroked Athena's long silky hair. "Oh Dad, I can't believe that I am meeting you at last." Athena said as she sobbed.  
  
"Hush now, don't cry." Dumbledore whispered. Athena just sniffed in response. "Now let me have a good look at you and give me a cheerful smile."  
  
Athena wiped her tears away and smiled brightly.  
  
Dumbledore studied her carefully. "Look how you've grown, you have my blue eyes and your mother's beautiful face." He said cheerfully. "Come on, let's sit down." He took out his wand, waved it and a bench appeared immediately. Both of them sat down.  
  
"Dad, I don't mean to be rude or something but why did Mom tell me that you die of illness when you are actually killed by Voldemort?" Athena suddenly asked.  
  
Dumbledore sighed a little. "It's a very long story. Do you want to hear it?"  
  
Athena nodded eagerly, listened attentively to Dumbledore's stories about Tom Riddle, the rise and fall of Voldemort, how he and her mother managed to get married secretly, and how Voldemort managed to kill him.  
  
"So you see, to the powerful dark wizards, you are just an ordinary nameless witch. None of them know who you truly are. So you are safe from them." Dumbledore smiled and embraced his daughter. "But to the staff of Hogwarts included your mother and I, you are my daughter and a very, very powerful witch."  
  
"So someday I can defeat the dark wizards and give peace to the wizarding world?" Athena asked.  
  
"Something like that. And when that time comes, you can announce to the world that you are my daughter, loudly and proudly." Dumbledore stopped for a while and looked at his watch that is around Athena's neck. "Ah, you still have my watch."  
  
"Watch?" Athena asked.  
  
Dumbledore held his watch and examined it. "Yes, Athena, this is a watch. You will learn how to read the time from it when you are older. And oh yes, I have something for you." Dumbledore reached his pocket and took out a golden bracelet with a red crystal heart hanging from it.  
  
"Wow." Was what Athena could say.  
  
"Just a small gift." He said shortly.  
  
"Thanks, Dad." Athena said happily as Dumbledore gave her the bracelet. "Dad, tell me about the story about you and Mom. Like how you two met or something like that...." Athena begged. "Please? Mom never tells me anything."  
  
Dumbledore just stared at his daughter and nodded. Athena sat close to him as he began to speak.  
  
***  
  
When Dumbledore was talking halfway, Athena started to yawn. "Athena, you are tired, why don't you take a rest?" Dumbledore asked gently.  
  
"No, I still want to listen...." Athena said sleepily.  
  
"You are as stubborn as your mother." Dumbledore said flatly and Athena giggled. "Listen to your father and get some rest." He said firmly. Athena yawned again and Dumbledore put his arms around her as she closed her eyes. "Sweet dreams, Athena." He whispered and kissed her forehead.  
  
***  
  
"Minerva, why don't you get some rest? I will watch over her." Madam Hooch offered gently in the hospital wing.  
  
Professor McGonagall shook her head stubbornly and held her daughter's hand tightly. Madam Pomfrey was bending over Athena, checking her pulse. "Her pulse is still very weak. I wonder if she can make it..." She stopped when she saw Professor McGonagall turning a few shades paler.  
  
"Athena, wake up please, please, I beg you.." Professor McGonagall whispered and started to weep.  
  
"Come on Athena, wake up, your mother needs you.." Madam Hooch pleaded, as she watched Athena lying motionless in her bed, with bandages on her arms and cheek and her face was as pale as chalk.  
  
Professor McGonagall brought Athena's hand to her own cheek, feeling her cold hand against her warm skin; she closed her eyes and sighed.  
  
"Min..Minerva, look!" Professor Sprouts gasped and Professor McGonagall opened her eyes just in time to see Athena blinking her eyes.  
  
"Athena." Professor McGonagall said happily and Athena turned her head slowly to her. "Hi, Mom." She whispered weakly.  
  
"She speaks!" Madam Hooch exclaimed as Madam Pomfrey checked Athena's pulse again. "How's her pulse?"  
  
"Getting stronger." Madam Pomfrey reported in surprise. "It's a miracle. One moment her pulse is near to a stop and now it is getting better."  
  
"How are you feeling, Athena?" Professor Sprouts asked gently.  
  
"Weak." Athena said shortly and felt her cheek with her right hand.  
  
"Athena, what's tha'?" Hagrid asked, pointing at Athena's right hand.  
  
Athena removed her hand and found a golden bracelet with a red crystal heart around her four fingers.  
  
"Nice bracelet, who give it to you?" Madam Hooch asked.  
  
Before Athena could say anything, Madam Pomfrey cut in sternly: "Hey, no questions, all right? She need more rest."  
  
"How long have I been like this?" Athena asked.  
  
"Err...if I count the day from you fainted in the chamber that will be.." Madam Hooch made a quick calculation. "Three weeks." Then she saw Athena had her mouth opened. "I am not joking. We take turns to watch over you but most of the time, your mother stays with us. She didn't eat or sleep well in the past three weeks. In fact, none of us have been sleeping or eating well."  
  
Athena studied her mother's face closely and Madam Hooch was right. She could see her mother's pale face and dark circles under her eyes clearly now. "Mom, get some rest." She said feebly.  
  
"Later." Professor McGonagall said, smiling.  
  
"All right, Athena needs more rest so all of you can go and get some sleep now." Madam Pomfrey said firmly and all of the teachers except for Professor McGonagall stood up, greeted goodbye to Madam Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall and Athena, and left the hospital wing.  
  
"I will leave you two alone for a while." Madam Pomfrey said quietly and left too.  
  
Professor McGonagall sighed and looked at Athena seriously. "Athena, I think it is the time for you to learn the whole truth. Your father..." But she stopped when Athena held up her hand.  
  
"Hey Mom, I think it's worth it to go to the chamber because you know why?" Athena asked and Professor McGonagall shook her head tiredly.  
  
"Because I met Dad," Athena whispered happily. "Just now, in my dream. At least I think so."  
  
"You think so?" Professor McGonagall echoed in bewilderment.  
  
"Dad gave me a bracelet and here it is." Athena said proudly, held up her right hand to let Professor McGonagall to have a look at the bracelet. "Amazing, isn't it, Mom? Now I know that my father is...." She looked around and dropped her voice into a whisper: "Albus Dumbledore."  
  
Professor McGonagall smiled and nodded. Madam Pomfrey came in with a Chocolate Frog in her hand. "Here, it will make you better." She said and handed it to Athena. "Minerva..."  
  
"I know, I should get some rest." Professor McGonagall said and leaned forward to kiss Athena on her cheek. "Rest well, Athena." She said and left unwillingly.  
  
Athena unwrapped the Chocolate Frog and took out the card. She smiled at the card happily. "Hi, Dad." She whispered.  
  
Tune in next chapter for Narcissus Malfoy's punishment, a very, very special Quidditch match and Minerva's decision on whether to stay in Hogwarts or go back to the Muggle world! 


	15. Punishment, Quidditch and a Decision

Disclaimer: Athena and all children during Athena's time belong to me. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.  
  
Thank you for all your reviews! Whoa, this is the longest chapter I have ever written!  
  
Note to Child-of-the-Dawn: The killing curse affect Athena differently is because the blood flowing in her veins is so powerful that she will not die from it. And yes, you will see not only Harry in this chapter, but also the Weasley twins, Oliver Wood and Draco Malfoy.  
  
Chapter 15: Punishment, Quidditch and a Decision  
  
"Athena! You are all right!" Elizabeth cried as she and the Gryffindors came into the hospital wing a few days later. She flung her arms around Athena and started sobbing. "I thought you are going to die!"  
  
"Thanks goodness you are all right, all of the Gryffindor students are so worried about you." Lethe added, giving Athena a bouquet of fresh roses.  
  
"Yeah, and all of us didn't listen attentively to our lessons." Eric admitted.  
  
"We heard about Malfoy writing you a note to get you to the third floor corridor..." James started and Damon cut him off by saying: "We are pretty mad and guess what James did?"  
  
"What?" Athena asked, putting the roses on the side table.  
  
"Punch Malfoy, in front of Professor Snape during Potions!" Philip grinned.  
  
"You are joking!" Athena exclaimed.  
  
"No, he's not. Everyone saw and heard about it, right?" Peter asked and the Gryffindors nodded.  
  
"And guess what Professor Snape did?" Eric asked.  
  
Athena shrugged.  
  
"Nothing! Can you believe it? He just sits there watching James and Malfoy fighting." Frederick exclaimed.  
  
"Wonder what's wrong with him?" Lethe said. "Anyway, you survived in the chamber and that's great. What's in that place anyway?"  
  
Before Athena could think of a good answer, Madam Pomfrey cut in saying: "All right, it's time for your lessons, now go."  
  
"But...." James protested.  
  
"GO." Madam Pomfrey said firmly.  
  
"All right, all right..."  
  
***  
  
Later at night, when Madam Pomfrey checked Athena's injuries, she announced that she had visitors.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Come in!" Madam Pomfrey called and Madam Hooch, Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall came in. Madam Hooch grinned. "Hi there, Athena, how are you feeling?"  
  
"Better." Athena smiled faintly and Madam Pomfrey helped her to sit up. "Hi Professor Snape, what a surprise."  
  
Professor Snape just gave an embarrassed smile. "I think it is my duty to pay you a visit. After all, it is my House student's fault that you ended up like this."  
  
"It's all right, but thanks to him, I know who's my father now. Professor, I heard that James beat up Malfoy during your lesson, is that true?" Athena asked.  
  
"WHAT?" Professor McGonagall shrieked.  
  
"Yes." Snape said dryly.  
  
"How's Malfoy now?" Athena asked in concern when Madam Hooch rolled her eyes. "Oh please! That slimeball doesn't need your concern." She said when she saw Snape looking at her. "Oops, sorry Severus, it just pops out from my mouth."  
  
Snape didn't say anything. Madam Hooch continued, "Anyway, that boy has been expelled."  
  
"What?" Athena asked in shock.  
  
"For sending you to the third floor corridor. The third floor corridor is strictly out of bounds to any one who doesn't wish to die in the most painful death, you know." Madam Hooch said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Who expelled him?" Athena asked.  
  
"Professor Sprouts did." Snape said. "I know, I know, it's a surprise that I let Professor Sprouts to expel him but it's the school rule and I am pretty mad at him for sending you to the corridor. Good thing that the blood in your veins is powerful enough to protect you from the killing curse, otherwise we may send him to Azkaban. Even through he is a bit underage...."  
  
"But what will he do now?" Athena asked. "He can't study in Hogwarts and he is too young for a job.."  
  
"I think his father will send him to Durmstrang, the school that teaches Dark Arts." Madam Hooch said casually. "Anyway, get well soon, okay? I am waiting for you in the Quidditch pitch to play Quidditch."  
  
Athena beamed and nodded while Professor McGonagall sighed. "How I miss Quidditch, how's the Gryffindor team?"  
  
"Bad." Madam Hooch and Professor Snape said in unison.  
  
"How bad?" Professor McGonagall asked slowly.  
  
"Very bad." Both of the teachers said.  
  
Professor McGonagall sighed. "I will give anything to watch the Gryffindor team to play Quidditch."  
  
"With a team like that? I doubt that you will stay throughout the whole match, they really bad." Snape said.  
  
Athena looked at her mother and thought deeply. Suddenly she smiled. "Mandy, can you stay after the rest have left?"  
  
"Why?" Madam Hooch asked, puzzled.  
  
"Just stay."  
  
When Professor McGonagall kissed her daughter goodnight and left, Madam Hooch dropped down on her chair and crossed her legs, showing her long, black boots. "All right, shoot."  
  
"Mandy, was the Gryffindor team powerful during Mom's time when she was teaching in Hogwarts?" Athena asked.  
  
"Very powerful. They won every time. All right, most of the time. According to the Wood twins' father Oliver, it was the best ruddy team in Hogwarts. It had three superb Chasers, two unbeatable Beaters, one Seeker who will never failed to win them a match and himself."  
  
"Who were in the team?" Athena asked in interest.  
  
"Let's see...Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Harry Potter, and the Weasley twins, Fred and George."  
  
"Which team is the second best?" Athena asked again.  
  
"The Slytherins. But the Slytherins always lose to the Gryffindors." Madam Hooch grinned.  
  
"Do you have the ex-Slytherins' and the ex-Gryffindors' addresses?" Athena asked excitedly.  
  
"Gryffindors, yes, Slytherins, no, you have to ask Snape for that. Why?"  
  
Athena smiled and whispered in Madam Hooch's ear.  
  
"Hey, that's a great idea! I am sure that she will love it!"  
  
***  
  
A month later, Athena finally recovered and discharged from the hospital wing and the next day, she dragged her mother out of the castle.  
  
"Athena, what are you doing? I really have to go back to the Muggle world...." Professor McGonagall said helplessly.  
  
"No way. Not before this. Take this." Athena said and gave her mother a long piece of cloth.  
  
"What for?" Professor McGonagall asked.  
  
"Blindfold yourself. Please." Athena begged and Professor McGonagall smiled. She blindfolded herself and Athena led her to the school stadium, which was packed with noisy students.  
  
"Athena, what's all that racket about?" Professor McGonagall asked. "Can I take the cloth off?"  
  
"No." Athena said firmly and led her mother to a seat. She looked around her and smiled. She took off the cloth and yelled, "Ta da!"  
  
Professor McGonagall gasped. She was in the school stadium! Half of the students were cheering, waving their red and golden flags, yelling, "GO GRYFFINDOR!" while the other half of the students were waving their green and silver flags yelling: "GO SLYTHERIN!"  
  
"Hi Professor! Long time no see!" A familiar voice greeted and Professor McGonagall turned. "Miss Granger!" She gasped.  
  
Hermione smiled. "I am not Miss Granger anymore, I am Mrs. Potter. Isn't that right, Lily?" She asked, turning her head to a young girl with black hair and brown eyes. The girl nodded. Eric leaned forward to see Athena and Professor McGonagall. "Hey there, Athena and Mrs. McGonagall, this is my Mom and my sister, Lily."  
  
"How are you lately, Miss Granger? I think I am more used to call you that..." Professor McGonagall asked.  
  
"Hi Professor!" Another voice called out and Professor McGonagall saw Ron, grinning at her. Professor McGonagall looked around and found that she was surrounded with her old students. Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Lavender, Dean, Seamus, Colin, Lee Jordan, Percy and Penelope, all sitting around her and all of them have grown up.  
  
"What are you all doing here?" Professor McGonagall asked amazement. Is she dreaming?  
  
"Didn't Madam Hooch and Athena tell you? We are here to watch a Quidditch match." Neville said cheerfully.  
  
"Dad! It's supposed to be a surprise!" Lethe said suddenly.  
  
"Really now." Percy said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Oops." Neville said, "Sorry, Professor, I can't talk anymore." He said and turned his attention back to the Quidditch field.  
  
***  
  
"I wonder if my skills are rusty.." Angelina Johnson said as she tossed a ball in the air and tried to catch it in the changing room.  
  
"I'm worried that we can't win the match." Katie Bell said nervously, clutching her broomstick tightly.  
  
"It's not just you, I bet all of us are worried." Alicia Spinnet said, tugging her Gryffindor Quidditch robes.  
  
"All except the husbands of ours." Angelina said, giving a sideward glance at Fred and George, who were playing sword fighting with their bats.  
  
"And Oliver too, this match is nothing comparing to the match against Chudley Cannons." Katie said, watching her husband chatting with Harry.  
  
When Wood finished talking with Harry, he clapped his hands for his old teammates' attention. "All right, team, this is it....HEY STOP IT YOU TWO AND PAY ATTENTION!" He bellowed at the twins.  
  
"Just like the good old days." Alicia said happily.  
  
Wood turned to the teammates. "All right, this is it. We are playing against the Slytherins again and this time it is different. We are all adults now and this match may be even more brutal than the time we were in Hogwarts. So we must do our best and...."  
  
"Kick the Slytherins' butts." Fred piped in.  
  
"Yeah, and Harry, you are our best Seeker, don't lose to that slimeball." Wood said.  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"All right then, any questions?" Wood asked.  
  
"I have one! Why do we have to wear our old Gryffindor Quidditch robes?" George asked.  
  
"Because we were proud Gryffindors and we must wear our old uniforms with pride!" Wood answered proudly and took his broomstick, which is Nimbus 2017. "Everyone got your broomsticks?"  
  
Everyone held up his or her broomsticks.  
  
"Right, let's go!" Wood yelled excitedly and all of them marched out of the changing room.  
  
***  
  
"What is so special about today's Quidditch match?" Professor McGonagall asked Athena among the loud cheers.  
  
"You'll see." Athena said mysteriously.  
  
Professor McGonagall stared at the Quidditch field curiously when Lee Jordan suddenly grabbed the megaphone and yelled: "Hello! Welcome to the Hogwarts special Quidditch game! In today's game it is ex-Gryffindor versus ex-Slytherin! Dedicated to our beloved Professor McGonagall! " And the stadium exploded in cheers.  
  
"For me?" Professor McGonagall asked in bewilderment.  
  
"You will love it, Mom..." Athena said.  
  
"And here they comes, the ex-Gryffindors!" Jordan yelled and the Slytherins booed. "Wood, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley, and Potter!" The Gryffindor cheered and waved their flags happily as they watched the ex- Gryffindors zoomed out in their broomsticks.  
  
"Surprise! I get Madam Hooch and Professor Snape to call all of them back to play a game just for you. The Slytherins are not willing to play at first but then they give in when Professor Snape threatened to give them the killing curse. " Athena said happily as Professor McGonagall clapped her hands in delight, watching Wood's team in interest.  
  
"Oh, how I miss them!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed.  
  
"And here comes the ex-Slytherins! Oh, look at Malfoy, he has changed so much." Ron said in disgust. "Hey, is it true that his son have been expelled?" He asked his son.  
  
"Yeah." Damon said, grinning.  
  
***  
  
"Captains, shake hands." Madam Hooch said.  
  
As Wood and Flint shook their hands seriously, Harry studied Draco closely. Draco has long blond hair, which has been pulled back into a ponytail, and his eyes are a lot colder than before. Draco glared at Harry and gave him a nasty look.  
  
Madam Hooch released the balls and Jordan reminded the crowd, "Now just in case all of ex-Hogwarts students can't remember, the Golden Snitch worth 150 points. Once it is caught, the game is over."  
  
"On my whistle, 3, 2, 1..." BEEP!!!!  
  
"And they are off!" Jordan roared and the stadium roared loudly as 14 brooms soared into the air.  
  
"Now it is Gryffindor in possession, Alicia takes the Quaffle... LOOK OUT ALICIA!" Jordan yelled.  
  
Alicia's eyes widened and she ducked as a Bludger flew past her.  
  
"Go, Alicia!" Professor McGonagall yelled and Athena backed away from her a little. Boy, her mother is sure behaving differently during a Quidditch match.  
  
"Whew, that is close! Really close!" Neville shouted along with the rest of the Gryffindors.  
  
"Hey, Alicia is throwing the Quaffle over her shoulder, and...passes the Quaffle to Angelina Johnson! Go Angelina!" Jordan yelled hysterically.  
  
Angelina caught hold of the Quaffle and zoomed in a high-speed zigzagging movement towards the goalposts with Flint chasing after her.  
  
"Oh no, you don't!" Fred yelled and WHAM hit a Bludger towards Flint.  
  
"WHAM! Buwhahahaha!!!! Take that, you gigantic snakehead!" Jordan yelled happily.  
  
"Jordan, I want to listen to the commentary!" Professor McGonagall protested.  
  
"Ah, the memorable scolding from Professor McGonagall! Anyway, excellent Bludger work by Fred...or is it George? I still can't tell the difference between those two, I wonder if Angelina and Alicia married the wrong guy.."  
  
"JORDAN!" Professor McGonagall growled.  
  
"All right, all right! Angelina is now free from Slytherin players and ducks another Bludger and...SHE SCORES! TEN POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR!" Jordan bellowed.  
  
The stadium cheered as loud as possible as Angelina gave a high five to Alicia.  
  
"Looks like Angelina's skills are as good as before! Now it is Slytherin in possession..."Jordan reported.  
  
Katie flew toward Flint and Flint responded by hitting Katie's chest using his elbow.  
  
"Oh. That's gonna be hurt! Wood, are you paying attention, your wife is hit by Flint!" Jordan howled into the megaphone.  
  
"FOUL!" Elizabeth and James bellowed along with the rest of the Gryffindors. What Oliver could do was scowling darkly at Flint.  
  
Madam Hooch blew her whistle. "Foul! That's cobbing! Gryffindor penalty!"  
  
Katie rubbed her chest and snatched the Quaffle from Flint.  
  
"SHE SCORES! ANOTHER TEN POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR!" Jordan yelled.  
  
Elizabeth and James cheered happily. "GO MOM!"  
  
Oliver Wood grinned happily and turned his attention to a Slytherin player coming towards him with a Quaffle.  
  
"COME ON, WOOD, SAVE!" Professor McGonagall bellowed.  
  
Wood swerved around all the three goal hoops at a very high speed and caught the Quaffle immediately.  
  
"GOOD SAVE, DAD!" James yelled as Oliver grinned and threw the Quaffle to Angelina.  
  
***  
  
The match went on and on for 4 hours. The score was now 200:100 and Harry still had not seen the Snitch yet.  
  
"Now it is Gryffindor in possession...wait, is that the Golden Snitch?" Jordan asked.  
  
Harry turned his head sharply and saw the small glittering light near the Slytherin goalposts. He zoomed immediately towards it and unfortunately Malfoy noticed it too and rushed to it as fast as he could.  
  
"Back off, Potty!" Malfoy yelled when he arrived beside Harry.  
  
"No, you back off!" Harry snapped.  
  
Malfoy scowled and punched Harry, trying to knock him off the broom. Harry hit Malfoy back by using his elbow. Malfoy gave Harry another punch across his cheek and Harry yanked Malfoy's ponytail. Malfoy yelped. "HEY GET OFF!" Harry let go and both of them zoomed together to the Snitch. Harry reached out his hand and Malfoy slapped his hand out of the way hard. Harry scowled and knocked Malfoy off course by using his body, when Malfoy was steering back, Harry reached out his hand and....  
  
"YES! HARRY POTTER GOT THE GOLDEN SNITCH!" Jordan yelled and Madam Hooch blew her whistle. "GRYFFINDOR WINS!"  
  
The stadium exploded once again with cheers and Harry landed with the other Gryffindor players. Fred and George danced around, yelling: "We won! We won! We won once again!" Oliver kissed Katie happily and put his arm around her shoulder. Angelina and Alicia hugged each other with tears in their eyes. Hermione and the other ex-Gryffindors ran to the field and congratulated Harry and his team.  
  
"Oh my, this is the best match I have ever seen!" Professor McGonagall said to Harry as he kissed Hermione.  
  
"You bet, Professor!" Fred said happily.  
  
"Too bad you have to leave, Professor." Percy said suddenly and Penelope stomped her foot on his. "Ouch!"  
  
Professor McGonagall smiled sadly.  
  
"On come on, Professor, stay." Harry pleaded.  
  
"Let me think about it." Professor McGonagall said.  
  
"PROFESSOR!" All her students protested.  
  
"I don't get it! Why do you have to leave Hogwarts and live with the Muggles?" Wood protested.  
  
BEEP!!! Madam Hooch blew her whistle and parted the crowd with something in her hands. She arrived to Wood and handed Wood a big golden trophy with the teammates' names on it and the words: "WINNERS OF THE HOGWARTS SPECIAL QUIDDITCH MATCH" on it.  
  
"For the captain." Madam Hooch said proudly.  
  
Wood smiled at the trophy, then he signaled to all his teammates. They gathered around and whispered something. When they stopped, Wood stepped out and offered Professor McGonagall. "This is our gift for you, Professor. We know that we can't stop you from leaving, so...take this with you. So that you can always remember us."  
  
"But you won it..." Professor McGonagall started.  
  
"You can have it." Wood said. "Besides, my twins can give me as many trophies as I want if they make it into the team." Wood grinned proudly, still holding the trophy to Professor McGonagall.  
  
Professor McGonagall smiled and took it.  
  
"All right! Now let's party!" Fred and George yelled. "To the Gryffindor Common Room!"  
  
***  
  
"Minerva? Why don't you stay?" Professor Sprouts asked in the staff room later. "If you stay, I can give back the Headmistress' position to you. You are the only one who is supposed to take that job."  
  
"And you can watch Quidditch anytime you want." Madam Hooch said. "Oh come on, Minerva, admit it. You don't belong in the Muggle world; you belong here with us, in the wizarding world."  
  
"Look, McGonagall. You stay away from Hogwarts and what happen? Athena nearly got killed. She will be a lot safer here if you stay. You can protect her for 24 hours." Snape said reasonably.  
  
"And watch over her." Madam Pomfrey added.  
  
For all this while, Professor McGonagall was silent. She stared at the trophy then at her friends. (Yes, and that included Snape)  
  
"Mom, stay." Athena said, holding her mother's arm. "Please. This is where we really belong."  
  
Professor McGonagall had her head low and still, she didn't respond.  
  
"Stay Minerva, we miss you." Madam Hooch begged, her sharp eyes were filled with tears.  
  
Professor McGonagall stood up suddenly. "Athena, let's go back to the Muggle world."  
  
"MINERVA!" The teachers cried.  
  
Professor McGonagall held up her hand. "I have not finished."  
  
The teacher went silent.  
  
"I said, let's go back to the Muggle world..." Professor McGonagall smiled at her daughter. "And pack our things."  
  
"You mean..." Athena started excitedly.  
  
"We are going to move," Professor McGonagall said, "Back to the wizarding world."  
  
Madam Hooch screamed for joy while Madam Pomfrey hugged Professor McGonagall as tight as she could.  
  
"Georgia, mind if Athena skips her lessons for a day to go back to the Muggle world with me?" Professor McGonagall asked when Madam Pomfrey released her.  
  
"Why should I? You are the Headmistress now! I have to admit, this position is pretty boring, and I can't get to teach Herbology!" Professor Sprouts admitted happily.  
  
Athena hugged her mother lovingly. Her mother is coming back to Hogwarts!  
  
* The End * 


End file.
